Schinopsis balansae

Schinopsis balansae
Source: Libro del Árbol, Tome II, Celulosa Argentina S. A., Buenos Aires, Argentina. Credit: Mr. Jorge Vallmitjana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Rosids
Order:Sapindales
Family:Anacardiaceae
Genus:Schinopsis
Species: S. balansae
Binomial name
Schinopsis balansae

Schinopsis balansae is a hardwood tree known as willow-leaf red quebracho[2] which forms forests in the subtropical Gran Chaco ecoregion of north-eastern Argentina, and Paraguay. It is also found in the wild Pantanal vegetation in Brazil. Some of its vernacular names are quebracho colorado chaqueño and quebracho santafesino. Other species, like Schinopsis lorentzii, bear the general name quebracho and have similar properties and uses. S. balansae shares its habitat with a species of the same genus, S. heterophylla, and the two are often confused.

This tree can reach 24 metres in height and more than one metre in diameter. Its trunk is straight, with a brownish-gray bark. Its wood is extremely heavy (relative density = 1.2). Its main use is the extraction of quebracho extract, which is 63% pure tannin.

The tree was declared Argentina's "National Forest Tree" in 1956.[3]

Chemistry

Leuco-fisetinidin, a flavan-3,4-diol (leucoanthocyanidin) and a monomer of the condensed tannins called profisetinidins, can be extracted from the heartwoods of S. balansae.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Americas Regional Workshop (1998). "Schinopsis balansae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 May 2006.
  2. ↑ "Schinopsis balansae". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "Declárase "Arbol Forestal Nacional" al (Schinopsis Balansea Engl) "Quebracho colorado chaqueño"" (in Spanish). Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable de la Nación. 1956-08-21. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  4. ↑ Roux, DG; Evelyn, SR (October 1958). "Condensed tannins. 2. Biogenesis of condensed tannins based on leucoanthocyanins". Biochem. J. 70: 344–9. doi:10.1042/bj0700344. PMC 1196676. PMID 16748787.
  • Pott, A.; Pott, V.J. (1994). Plantas do Pantanal. (Plants of Pantanal) (in Portuguese). EMBRAPA. ISBN 85-85007-36-2
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