classify as a hardwood tree , the rubberwood ( Hevea brasiliensis ) belong to the latex - grow tree house Euphorbiaceae . In the genus of Hevea , 11 mintage exist but only three species within the genus get operational rubber : Hevea benthamiana , Hevea brasiliensis and genus Hevea guianensis . Of the three species , only the rubberwood is grown commercially on Plantation for the harvest of rubber and wood .
History
The seed of the rubber tree began to be export from its native family of Brazil in 1876 by a synthetic rubber tree plantation owner in the country , Henry Wickham . The seed were wide imported to London , where they were successfully germinated at the Tropical Herbarium in Kew Gardens . The untried trees were export to Sri Lanka . In Singapore , the art of tap the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for its worthful latex was acquire .
Identification
The rubberwood tree species of the Euphorbiaceae family grows up to 130 foot in elevation . Capable of self - fertilisation , the tree produce abundant yellowed flowers that are both male and distaff . legion cultivars have been established to utilize even higher return of latex from the valuable tree diagram . The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree grows good in tropical lowland region that are humid .
World Commercial Production
Even though the rubberwood tree species is aboriginal to Brazil , it is no longer commercially grown on a big scale in the area due to the South American leaf blight ( Microcyclus ulei ) , which ravaged the trees . The bulk of rubberwood trees are now grow in Southeast Asia and percentage of Africa . The tree is normally grown on orchard for 20 old age while it produces latex and then it is tailor down for timber . A worthful lumber tree , the forest it create is harder than the northern red oak , accord to University Loft .
Sustainabilty
The rubberwood species and all metal money within the family Euphorbiaceae provide splendid sustainability . An oak tree takes over 60 year before it attains a harvestable size to be used in Ellen Price Wood products , but the rubberwood tree diagram can raise three generations of trees within that time pair that are harvestable and quick for lumber production .
Euphorbiaceae Family
The Euphorbiaceae house stand aside from other plant families because all members within the group produce some form of milklike sap . In the case of the safety tree the milky sap is latex . The family is made is made up of predominantly monecious ( ego - prolific ) members . The Euphorbiaceae folk include 300 genera and 7,500 coinage , fit in to the University of Oklahoma . Such distinctive plant as the holiday poinsettia belong to the Euphorbiaceae family unit . Among such a encompassing array of plant life , the rubberwood tree diagram stands apart for its worldwide commercial value in latex and hardwood quality .
Latex Sap
The milklike latex paint sap of the Euphorbiaceae family is normally toxic and produces an allergic skin reaction . The toxin within the sap is make out as diterpene ester . It can cause severe blistering of the skin . The sap is often manufacture into a topical ointment that is used to combat skin cancer . The fool of the rubberwood tree does not contain the toxin nor does it have any anti - cancer properties .
