Nectandra megapotamica

Nectandra megapotamica (Spreng.) Mez (Lauraceae), known locally as canela-preta or canelinha, is a medium to large evergreen tree of subtropical South America, ranging from southern Brazil and Paraguay through Uruguay into northeastern Argentina. Mature trees reach 15-25 m in height, with straight cylindrical boles and grey-brown, finely fissured bark that is strongly aromatic when slashed. The alternate, simple leaves are elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 6-15 cm long, leathery, glabrous and glossy dark green above with paler undersides and pinnate venation. Small, six-tepalled cream to greenish-white flowers about 3-4 mm across are borne in many-flowered axillary or subterminal panicles and emit a faint spicy fragrance. The fruit is a glossy, dark purple-black, ellipsoid drupe 1-2 cm long seated in a shallow, reddish, cup-shaped cupule. The species inhabits humid Atlantic Forest, gallery forest and seasonally moist semi-deciduous forest on a variety of soils.