Spanish cedar, cigar-box wood

Its light, close-grained wood is one of the most prized in Amazonia. It has a lovely reddish-brown colour. It gives off a peculiar odour, which prevents attacks by insects such as termites. This makes it popular for carpentry and for making furniture, doors, windows, frames, clothes cupboards, drawers and, as its name indicates, cigar boxes. This tree is often planted along with coffee and cocoa trees to provide them with shade. The bark has astringent properties and is used to treat diarrhea and various urinary problems. The leaves and bark are made into an infusion and taken for various problems, including colds, gangrene and inflamed testicles. Indians make canoes from its trunk.