A medium-sized tree that grows up to 20 m high, with a trunk 30 to 60 cm in diameter. Leaves alternate in 2 rows in flattened arrangement, ovate to lance-shaped, 6-13 cm long, 2.5-6 cm wide, long-pointed, finely saw-toothed, with 3 or sometimes 5 main veins from rounded or notched unequal-sided base, thin, nearly hairless or sometimes densely hairy, green upper surface, paler underneath; at night hanging vertically. Flowers many, short stalked, small, brownish-yellow, with 5 parts, about 1 cm long and half as broad, spreading, slightly fragrant. Calyx with 2-3 lobes, with rusty brown or light grey hairs, turned back, and then greenish; 5 yellow petals, each 2-forked; a yellowish stamen column with about 15 anthers surrounding the pistil, which has a hairy, light-green 5-celled ovary, style and 5 united stigmas. Fruit round to elliptical capsules, very warty, hard, black, 15-25 mm long, 5-celled, opening at tip or irregularly by pores. Seeds many, egg-shaped, 3 mm long, grey.

Antibacterial, antidote, antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, bronchodilator, CNS-stimulant, cytotoxic, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, respirastimulant, stomachic and uterotonic.

Tropical Plant Database
PIER
AgroForestryTree Database

Beta-sitosterol (plant); caffeine (leaf)

To treat diarrhea, hemorrhages and uterine pain (dried bark, fruit); to aid in childbirth, for gastrointestinal pain, asthma, diarrhea and dysentery, wounds, and fevers (fresh bark)