Carallia is a genus of small to medium-sized trees in the family Rhizophoraceae (order Malpighiales). The leaves are often dotted black, a distinctive feature of the genus. Fruits are small and range from ellipsoid to roundish in shape. The genus comprises 15 accepted species distributed across Madagascar, tropical Asia, and northern Australia, where they inhabit lowland rainforests, swamps, and hills from sea level up to approximately 2,000 metres elevation. One well-known species is Carallia brachiata, commonly called corkwood or butterfly plant.
Distribution
Carallia species have a paleotropical distribution, occurring naturally in Madagascar, across tropical Asia, and in northern Australia. They are found in lowland rainforests, swamps, and on hills, ranging from sea level to about 2,000 metres elevation.
Ecology
Carallia species inhabit lowland rainforests, swamp forests, and hills at elevations from sea level to approximately 2,000 metres. They grow as small to medium-sized trees in these tropical and subtropical forest environments.
