Region: south America, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas; Caribbean, Leeward, Virgin and Windward Islands.
Habitat: primary, lowland, tropical forests; forest floodplains, near rivers in the rainforest; upland rain forests, especially on bauxite hills; sea level up to 1200 metres altitude; shaded situation.
Use: local medicinal; ingredient of patent medicines; wood for cabinet making, general carpentry, boxes, toys, furniture, turnery, interior trim, joinery, ship construction, planking and trim, decorative and utility veneer and plywood, fuel.
BotanyEvergreen tree; wide, dense crown; small tree up to 25 metres or more with buttresses; slow growing, even when young.
Stem: short; 15 to 25 cm in diameter; wood reddish, coarse-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, durable; heartwood pinkish to deep reddish-brown, distinct, but not sharply demarcated from the sapwood, texture is medium, grain rather straight, luster is rather low; green wood is aromatic but odour and taste are very mild or not distinctive in dry specimens; heartwood has good resistance to dry-wood termites and is durable in the ground; wood air dries slowly, but with only a moderate amount of warping and no checking, saws and machines easily, tear and crumble from boring.