{{Short description|Genus of trees}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Greenheart (13927555000).jpg |image_caption = ''Chlorocardium rodiei'' |taxon = Chlorocardium |authority = Rohwer, H.G.Richt. & van der Werff |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = *''Chlorocardium esmeraldense'' {{small|van der Werff}} *''Chlorocardium rodiei'' {{small|(R.H.Schomb.) Rohwer, H.G.Richt. & van der Werff}} *''Chlorocardium venenosum'' {{small|(Kosterm. & Pinkley) Rohwer, H.G.Richt. & van der Werff}} }}
'''''Chlorocardium''''' is a genus of the family Lauraceae. It contains only three species, ''C. esmeraldense'', ''C. rodiei'' and ''C. venenosum'', and is native to northern South America. The name ''Chlorocardium'' means green (chloro-) heart (cardia), referring to the wood.
They are trees up to 40 m high, mostly 30 m high, and are hermaphrodites. They are slow-growing canopy evergreen trees and have a valuable timber. The wood and bark are pleasantly scented. They are present in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and the Guiana Shield (in northeastern Brazil, Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar and Delta Amacuro states), Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana).{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}
The species are heavily used by the timber industry. This causes a shortage of mature trees. Their timber is of great commercial value and much exploited, but ''C. rodiei'' is able to produce sprouts from more than 50% of stumps.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rijks |first1=Meta H. |last2=Malta |first2=Erik-Jan |last3=Zagt |first3=Roderick J. |date=July 1998 |title=Regeneration Through Sprout Formation in ''Chlorocardium rodiei'' (Lauraceae) in Guyana |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-tropical-ecology/article/abs/regeneration-through-sprout-formation-in-chlorocardium-rodiei-lauraceae-in-guyana/C3C7C7742123BBF669E85EF0346D3CEC |journal=Journal of Tropical Ecology |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=463–475 |doi=10.1017/S0266467498000340|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Ecology== Trees of this genus grow in evergreen tropical forests. The ecological requirements are those of moisture precipitating almost continuously in cloud-cover for much of the year.
The fruit, a drupe, is an important food source for birds.
The common name in Guyana is '''greenheart''' or '''greenhart'''.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Chlorocardium|position=left}} {{Wikispecies|position=left}} * {{Cite magazine |last1=Svenson |first1=David |date=November 2012 |title=Working-Class 'Hero' |url=http://www.portlandmonthly.com/portmag/2012/10/working-class-hero/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230213409/http://www.portlandmonthly.com/portmag/2012/10/working-class-hero/ |archive-date=30 December 2019 |magazine=Portland Monthly |pages=27–29 |access-date=28 July 2024}}
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Category:Lauraceae Category:Lauraceae genera