Distribution and Habitat 
The 38 or more species -2 of the genus Virola are found in tropical 
Central and South America, throughout the range of the family Kyristicaceae, 
except in Mexico. They rarely occur at the higher elevations in the And , 
flourishing primarily in the mixed hardwood forests of the lowlands. Their 
distribution includes some of the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, the Guianas, 
Southern Venezuela, Northern Brazil in the states of Amazonas, coastal Para, 
especially the Amazon estuary (which is inundated by the Atlantic tides), 
Maranhao, Northeastern Ceara, Para, Matto Grosso, Goyaz, and the Northern 
half of Sao Paulo. Some species grow in the rather dry woods of the 
"Campos" regions. In Central America the range is from British Honduras 
and Guatemala to Panama. 
The Tree 
Size 
The genus Virola includes small, medium-sized, and large type species , 
Bark 
The bark of some species of this genus ( Virola ) is tapped for an 
astringent sap, one of the commercial kinos. This is bright yellow at 
first but turns red as it hardens. 
Flowers and Fruit (Nuts) 
The seeds of Virola arc rich in oil (^, 2) an< ^ arG used for making 
candle9 and soap. They present an attractive appearance because of their 
shining brown surface and the white, pink, or red lacc-likc aril (appendage 
or covering) . 
The fruits of the related species ( Myristica fragrans Houtt.) of the 
Moluccas and Grenada (Windward Islands) (introduced) are the source of the 
spioes nutmeg and mace (8) . 
"T?he most widely distributed species is Virola surinamensis (Kol.) '/"arc . 
(Kwatta) . Other well known species are V. sebifera Aubl., V. koschnyi 
Warb. = V. merendonis Pit tier. 
Root. ' r . . r 
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