臺灣原生常綠小喬木，中國大陸南部，印度，斯里蘭卡，印尼，緬甸，馬來西亞，新幾內亞，菲律賓等亦為原生地。幼枝及花序被毛茸。葉對生，革質，矩圓形、長圓形至長橢圓形，全緣，兩面光滑。繖房花序頂生或腋生，花兩性，青白色或乳白色；花期6~7月。果實為核果，橢圓形或近圓形，有淺稜，熟時由綠轉黃。種子有硬質黑色種皮，果期 9~12月。

An evergreen small tree, native to Taiwan, southern China, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Guinea, the Philippines and so on. Young shoots and inflorescences are villous. Leaves are opposite, leathery, oblong, oval to ovate, entire, smooth on both sides. Corymb terminal or axillary, bisexual, greenish white or milky white; flowering from June to July. The fruits are drupes in elliptic or nearly round shape, shallow-ribbed, ripe from green to yellow. The seed has a hard and black exocarp. Fruiting from September to December.

土壤以富含腐植質壤土且排水良好者為佳，喜溫暖氣候。種子繁殖(但需以層積變溫法才能提高發芽率)或扦插繁殖。

The plant grows better in humus-rich loam with good drainage and in warm climate. Propagated by seeding (to increase germination rate by stratification and temperature change) or cutting.

木材堅韌，可作家具用材。熟果可食。樹皮可提煉烤膠。全株可入藥。是無尾鳳蝶的食草植物。

The hard timber can be used in making furniture. Ripe fruits are edible. The bark can produce tannin extract. The whole plant can be used in herbal medicine as well as an herbivorous plant of Papilio demoleus.