Botanical Name : Vitex gaumeri
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Vitex
Species: V. gaumeri
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Common Names : Fiddlewood, Walking Lady, or Yax-nik
Habitat :Vitex gaumeri is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.The species is found in damp forest or secondary formations, often on limestone and occasionally pine ridges.
Description:
Vitex gaumeri is a small to midium tree; leaves opposite, palmately compound; leaflets elliptic, base obtuse, margin entire, apex obtuse to acute, minutely pubescent; inflorescence an axillary panicle; corolla bilaterally symmetric, blue, with white and/or yellow at the throat; fruit globose, fleshy.
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Medicinal Uses:
To treats skin fungus, infected sores, and ringworm, toasted and powdered fiddle wood bark is applied over a bit of oil which holds the powder on the skin. A tea made from boiled bark is useful to wash wounds. For biliousness a strip of bark 1 inch by 3 inches is boiled in 3 cups of water for 5 minutes and taken in ½ cups doses over 12 hours- the use of this treatment should not exceed 3 days. Leaves boiled in water are used as a bath for asthma, malaria and chills. Crushed leaves are applied as a poultice to sores and wounds
Other Uses:
The wood is durable and used in the construction of diverse items. Listed as an important source of pollen and/or nectar for bees (Souza Novello 1981).
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
http://chalk.richmond.edu/flora-kaxil-kiuic/v/vitex_gaumeri.html
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_FGH.htm
http://beta.backyardnature.net/yucatan/vitex.htm
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/37086/0
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