Throughout tropical America. Abundant in open areas and in forests, both virgin and cutover, often forming almost pure stands. A medium-sized tree with trunk diameters to 24 in. and height to 70 ft, more commonly 40 ft tall and 8 to 12 in.
Stems are hollow, often housing small stinging ants.
No distinction between sapwood and heartwood, whitish when freshly cut becoming pale brown or oatmeal colored upon exposure. Both of these tests on wood with basic specific gravity of 0.26. The wood air-seasons rapidly but with moderate to severe warp and little checking. The wood is also easy to kiln-dry without excessive seasoning degrade. Surfaces tend to tear and fuzz in shaping and turning but gives good results in planing and sanding.