Zeyheria tuberculosa is a species of tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

 in the Bignoniaceae

Bignoniaceae

The Bignoniaceae, or Trumpet Creeper Family, is a family of flowering plants comprising about 650-750 species in 116-120 genera. Members of the family are mostly trees and lianas , shrubs and more rarely herbaceous plants. As climber plants, they are twine climbers or tendril climbers, and rarely...

 family. It is endemic to Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, and is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

These trees reach a height of 15 to 23 meters, with a trunk diameter of 40-60 cm. The leaves are compound, made of five leaflets, and grow to 40-60 cm in length. The tree blooms between November and January, and its fruit ripens between July and September. The seeds are light-weight and wind-borne.

Uses

It is cited as a timber tree, and also it is used as a urban tree. The wood is flexible and durable. The tree is also used as an ornamental tree in landscaping. The fast growth and high reproduction rate allows this species to be used for the recovery of degraded areas. This has been shown to improve soil of previously deforested regions, adding nitrogen and potassium in the added organic matter.

Extracts from the tree, known as "ipê-preto", are used locally as medicine for cancer and skin-diseases. Laboratory tests have shown antimicrobial properties in these extracts, but due to concerns about toxicity no clinical applications have been utilized.