The Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), often simply called rubber tree, is a tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae and the most economically important member of the genus Hevea. It is of major economic importance because its sap-like extract (known as latex) can be collected and is the primary source of natural rubber.

Description

The tree can reach a height of over 30m (98.4 feet). The white or yellow latex occurs in latex vessels in the bark, mostly outside the phloem. These vessels spiral up the tree in a right-handed spiral which forms an angle of about 30 degrees with the horizontal.

Harvest

Once the trees are 5-6 years old, the harvest can begin: incisions are made orthogonal to the latex vessels, just deep enough to tap the vessels without harming the tree's growth, and the sap is collected in small buckets. This process is known as rubber tapping. Older trees yield more latex, but they stop producing after 26-30 years.

History

The Pará rubber tree initially grew only in the Amazon Rainforest. Increasing demand and the discovery of the vulcanization procedure in 1839 led to a boom in that region, enriching the cities of Belém and Manaus. The name of the tree derives from Pará, the second largest Brazilian state, that contains Belém as capital, mainly city and tech-financial centre.

There had been an attempt made, in 1873, to grow rubber outside Brazil. After some effort, twelve seedlings were germinated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. These were sent to India for cultivation, but died. A second attempt was then made, some 70,000 seeds being sent to Kew in 1875. About 4% of these germinated, and in 1876 about 2000 seedlings were sent, in Wardian cases, to Ceylon, and 22 sent to the Botanic Gardens in Singapore. Once established outside its native country, rubber was extensively propagated in the British colonies. Rubber trees were brought to the botanical gardens at Buitenzorg, Java in 1883.^[1] By 1898, a rubber plantation had been established in Malaya, and today most rubber tree plantations are in Southeast Asia and some also in tropical Africa. Efforts to cultivate the tree in its native South America were unsatisfactory.

Uses

The wood from this tree, referred to as parawood or rubberwood, is used in the manufacture of high-end furniture. It is valued for its dense grain, minimal shrinkage, attractive color and acceptance of different finishes. It is also prized as an "environmentally friendly" wood, as it makes use of trees that have been cut at the end of their latex-producing cycle.

Synonyms

The genus Hevea is also known as:

• Caoutchoua J.F.Gmel.
• Micrandra Benn. & R.Br.
• Siphonanthus Schreb. ex Baill.
• Siphonia D.Richard ex Schreb.

Cultural references

• Frank Sinatra Sings off an ant trying to move a "Rubber Tree plant" in his song High Hopes, made popular by the 1959 film A Hole in the Head.

See also

• Castilla elastica - the principal source of latex rubber among the pre-Columbian MesoAmerican peoples
• List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil

Gallery

<gallery> Image:Rubber_tree_plantation.JPG|Rubber tree plantation in Phuket, Thailand image:Rubber_tree_leaves.JPG|Leaves of a Pará rubber tree image:Latex_dripping.JPG|Latex being collected from an incised rubber tree Image:Rubber_tree.jpg|Mindanao, Philippines, plantation worker Image:Hevea semillas2.jpg|Rubber tree seeds </gallery>

References

• Sustainable Rubberwood

Further references

Zhang, J., Huss, V.A.R., Sun, X., Chang, K. and Pan, D. 2008. Morphology and phylogenetic position of a trebouxiophycean green algae (Chlorophyta) growing on th rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, with the description of a new genus and species. Eur. J. Phycol. 43(2): 185 - 193.

ca:Siringa (arbre) cs:Kau?ukovník brazilský de:Kautschukbaum es:Hevea brasilensis eo:Ka??ukarbo fr:Hévéa hi:???? hsb:Brazilski kaw?ukowc it:Hevea brasiliensis lt:Brazilin? hev?ja ml:??????? ??? ms:Pokok getah nl:Braziliaanse rubberboom ja:?????? no:Ekte gummitre pl:Kauczukowiec pt:Seringueira ro:Arbore de cauciuc qu:K'awchu sach'a ru:????? ??????????? simple:Para rubber tree sk:Kau?ukovník fi:Kumipuu th:??????? vi:Cao su (cây) tr:Hevea brasiliensis zh:???