Cedar

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical range spanning several regions across the Americas. In Central America, its presence is documented within the countries of Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panamá. Moving toward the Caribbean, it can also be found in Trinidad and Tobago. Its distribution extends further into Northern South America, specifically within French Guiana. Altogether, these locations highlight the diverse tropical environments where the species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cedrela fissilis is characterized by its presence in diverse forest ecosystems, specifically inhabiting high forests (bosque alto), middle forests (bosque medio), and gallery forests. This species demonstrates a broad altitudinal distribution, thriving across a wide elevational range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum altitude of 1800 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Bosque alto, bosque medio, gallery forest

Life history

The life history of Cedrela fissilis is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem over many years through established growth cycles. As it matures, the plant exhibits a deciduous phenology, shedding its foliage seasonally, which is a key adaptive strategy for managing water resources and light availability within its natural habitat. This lifecycle allows it to undergo periods of dormancy and regrowth, ensuring long-term survival across varying environmental conditions.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cedrela fissilis is characterized by its growth form as a large, woody tree that functions as a self-supporting organism rather than a climber or liana. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic habits, maintaining an independent existence without being a parasite. The plant reaches significant dimensions, typically attaining a mean height of 25 m, though it can grow to a maximum height of 30 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30 m

Plant height mean:

25 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cedrela fissilis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes for carbon fixation and energy production. As a C3 plant, it relies on the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle, typically favoring environments with moderate temperatures and sufficient moisture to manage transpiration. Furthermore, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form; consequently, its nutritional requirements for nitrogen must be met through the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cedrela fissilis is characterized by the production of winged seeds designed for anemochory, or wind dispersal, which facilitates the colonization of new forest gaps. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly uniform morphology and weight distribution, showing no significant variance across different samples. Specifically, the seed mass is remarkably consistent, with a measured mean of 0.037 g, a maximum value of 0.037 g, and a minimum value of 0.037 g. This lack of deviation in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive strategy, ensuring that each propagule possesses a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support initial seedling establishment upon landing.

Seed mass mean:

0.037 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cedrela fissilis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Fitoterapia
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytochemistry

Preparations

Cedrela fissilis has 2 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include leaf aqueous extracts, water-soluble polysaccharide.

Leaf aqueous extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Water-soluble polysaccharide

1. Phytochemistry