Region: south America, eastern and northern Brazil.
Habitat: understorey in Atlantic rainforest; broadleaved semideciduous forests; in dense primary formations; prefers moist, lowland areas in valleys and at the foot of slopes; prefers shade of woodland, moist soil.
Use: medicinal; wood for internal purposes in construction as linings, parquet, stays, base boards, frames.
BotanyEvergreen tree; dense, flat-topped crown; 4 to 5 metres tall; slow-growing.
Stem: short; 20 to 30 cm in diameter; wood moderately heavy, hard, compact, with reasonable mechanical properties, low durability.
Flower: one red pistil; 5 to 6 carpels and locules, united at the base, and each has a sterile projection with the secretory structures at the apex; ovary almost completely constituted by nectariferous or secretory tissue.
Fruit: capsular and coccarium; with small splits between the carpels; mature fruit is dry, woody, split inside out down the dorsal sutures, liberating the seeds.
Dispersion: autochoric.