Another very common woody roadside plant in the coastal Amazon region is Virola sebifera (nutmeg family). It grows mostly as a shrub due to constant disturbance but may become a medium-sized tree. The genus can often be recognised by its characteristic leaf form with numerous lateral leaf veins which change their angles in the basal portion of the blade. The mature fruits open and expose seeds with a bright red aril, attracting bird dispersers.
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