arara nut-tree
Joannesia princeps
Joannesia princeps, the arara nut-tree or andá-açu, is a species of moderate-sized tree in the family Euphorbiaceae, with a spreading canopy, large alternate and long petioled leaves, and coarse branches. Flowers are monoecious, and fruit is a large drupe.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joannesia_princeps
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Joannesia
arara nut-tree belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, order Malpighiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Joannesia princeps, the arara nut-tree or andá-açu, is a species of moderate-sized tree in the family Euphorbiaceae, with a spreading canopy, large alternate and long petioled leaves, and coarse branches. Flowers are monoecious, and fruit is a large drupe. It is endemic to east Minas Gerais, north Espírito Santo to the south of Bahia, Brazil, and threatened by habitat loss.
The arara nut-tree faces significant pressure from habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its Atlantic Forest range. Additional threats include selective logging for its valuable timber and limited natural regeneration due to seed collection and fragmented populations.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Endemic to Brazil's Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), occurring in humid tropical forests, forest edges, and secondary growth areas primarily in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo. The species typically grows in well-drained soils of montane and submontane forest zones.
Threats
Agricultural expansion
Habitat loss and deforestation
Population fragmentation
Seed over-collection
Selective logging for timber
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). arara nut-tree (Joannesia princeps). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/arara-nut-tree