Baboonwood
EN

Baboonwood

Virola surinamensis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virola_surinamensis

Overview

Virola surinamensis, known commonly as baboonwood, ucuuba, ucuhuba and chalviande, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myristicaceae. It is found in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It has also been naturalized in the Caribbean.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. Although the species is listed as threatened due to habitat loss by the IUCN, it is a common tree species found throughout Central and South America.

Baboonwood (Virola surinamensis) faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its Amazonian and Guianan range. Commercial logging operations specifically target this valuable timber species for its high-quality wood used in construction and furniture making. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and soy cultivation, continues to convert remaining forest habitats into farmland.

Threat summary

Other threatened species in Myristicaceae

VU

Virola dixonii

Unknown
VU

Iryanthera obovata

Unknown
VU

Iryanthera megistophylla

Unknown
VU

Knema riangensis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Baboonwood classified as Endangered?
Baboonwood is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Baboonwood (Virola surinamensis) faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its Amazonian and Guianan range. Commercial logging operations specifically target this valuable timber species for its high-quality wood used in construction and furniture making. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and soy cultivation, continues to convert remaining forest habitats into farmland.
Where does Baboonwood live?
Baboonwood occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Baboonwood?
The main threats to Baboonwood are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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