The Tree House Forest Product Information Sheet

No.89 LATEX

COMMON NAME: LATEX, RUBBER, RUBBER TREE

GENUS & SPECIES: Hevea brasiliensis

FAMILY: EUPHORBIACEAE

FAMILY RELATIONS: TUNG OIL

GENERAL: The rubber tree is a deciduous native of the Amazon that was secretly exported from South America in the last century to create large plantations in tropical Asia and Africa. It can reach a height of 30 metres and has long stalked leaves composed of three lanceolate leaflets. It has very small yellow white aromatic flowers, with the male and female grouped together. The seedpods contain three seeds about 3cm long.

ECOLOGY: The rubber tree grows best on light textured clay loams with good fertility but in its natural range will tolerate a wide variety of clays. They will also tolerate some flooding and are therefore often found in floodplains that are subject to regular inundation.

CULINARY USES: Although the seeds contain cyanic poisons the native Indians of the Amazon will in extremis eat the seeds, but only after they have been boiled for a few days.

OTHER USES: The main use of the rubber tree is in the production of rubber. This is obtained by incising the bark and collecting the sap, which exudes. This is then treated with acid to make it coagulate and sold in thick sheets. Although the Second World War necessitated the invention of synthetic rubber, top quality car and aeroplane tyres still contain up to 100% natural rubber due to its superior qualities.