XVI International Botanical Congess

Clusia grandiflora Splitg. and C. palmicida Rich. ex Planchon & Triana are neotropical hemi-epiphytes that produce robust, woody aerial roots. In Guyana, the roots are used in rattan-like furniture production and have potential as a sustainable forest product. Kufa species commonly survive root harvest because the largest roots are left intact with present methods. To quantify the impact of harvest, I compared kufa abundance in 60 0.1-ha forest plots at sites close and far from Carib harvester communities. The density of kufa individuals was insignificantly different between similar habitats regardless of harvest intensity. But there were significantly fewer product-quality roots at the more heavily harvested site. Current levels of harvest near villages are not extirpating populations but appear to be overly intensive for sustainable product-quality root renewal. Research in progress will address post-harvest root growth rates and maturation.