Roupala montana
English: Leopardwood.
French: Bois bandé.
Region: south America, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; central America, Panama to Mexico; Caribbean, Trinidad.
Habitat: savannahs; coastal areas, rock savannahs in the mountains and secondary forests on sandy soils; moist and wet forests at elevations up to 144 metres; lowland areas; tropics; best in a sunny position; wide range of soil types, best in soils with good drainage.
Use: medical in Venezuela; aphrodisiac in Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela; wood for fuel, high quality charcoal, woodworking, construction, wood turning, in small spindles, blocks; ornamental timber; local medicinal use.
Botany
Shrub or tree; morphologically variable; deciduous; dense, rounded crown; 8 - 25 metres tall; moderate rate of growth.
Stem: cylindrical bole; 40 to 70 cm in diameter; low-branching; fresh wood and crushed leaves or branchlets have a strong odour of ground fish or tuna fish; wood turns well, gives a good finish,
Leaves: simple in adult plants, occasionally compound.[
Taxxonomy
Very variable, cannot be satisfactorily accommodated within a formal classification.