Abstract
B. orellana is a small, bushy tree 2-8 m tall, with maximum diameter at breast height 10-30 cm (Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). The main product is a non-toxic organic dye obtained from the fruits, known as annatto or bixin. This dye is used commercially in foods, cosmetics, textiles, polish, wax and stains; locally it is used as an insect repellent and as a body paint. The bark exudes a gum and contains fibres which may be twisted into a cordage; the seeds and leaves have medicinal properties (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991; Anon, 1986). B. orellana originated in tropical America (Hensleigh and Holaway 1988) and is now widely planted and naturalized in the tropics (Quisumbing 1951; Backer and Brink, 1963; Quimbo, 1980; Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). It is a light-demanding species and grows well in warm, humid climates which are free from frost and strong winds (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). This species requires uniformly distributed rainfall, unless the land is irrigated (Bayot, 1986). B. orellana is often intercropped with agricultural crops, and is also grown as an ornamental bushy tree. B. orellana may be propagated from seeds. The pods are harvested once they begin to show a tinge of red or when they begin to split (Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). Average annual yields of dry seed have been reported as 4.5-5 kg/tree or about 350-700 kg/ha (Brown, 1957; Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). Seeds are soaked in water or scarified in order to enhance germination, and may be planted in nursery beds or directly in the field. However, propagation from cuttings is often more favourable, as cuttings from high-yielding cultivars yields may bear fruit within two years (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). This species can also be propagated by air layering. B. orellana grows well without fertilizers, provided the young plants are weeded.
The Neogene tropical America fish assemblage and the paleobiogeography of the Caribbean region