It can be a dominant canopy tree in the tropical rainforests of these states. It grows on deep, rich, well-drained soils on slopes between 30–900 metres (98–2,953 ft) in elevation.
The tree is badly overexploited for its valuable hardwood, its essential oils with their (linalool) content, and for various pharmaceutical compounds or prospects such as neolignans.[4] From the early- to mid-20th century the wood was popular for the flooring of houses in the Brazilian coastal State of Santa Catarina.
Conservation
In 1997 it appeared in the IUCN Red List as a Vulnerable species, which it retains currently.[1] Since then it has been described as "on the verge of extinction" and research is being published on prospects for its somatic propagation.[5]
^Paulo Backes & Bruno Irgang, Mata Atlântica - as árvores e a paisagem, Porto Alegre, 2004, Paisagem do Sul, page 211
^Lacava Lordello, Ana Luísa; Yoshida, Massayoshi (1997). "Neolignans from leaves of Ocotea catharinensis". Phytochemistry. 46 (4): 741–744. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(97)00343-9.
^Santa Catarina, Claudete; dos Santos Olmedo, Alessandra; de Andrade Meyer, Geraldine; Macedo, Jonice; de Amorim, Wagner; Viana, Ana Maria (2004). "Repetitive Somatic Embryogenesis of Ocotea catharinensis Mez". Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture. 78 (1): 55–62. doi:10.1023/B:TICU.0000020395.40974.8a. S2CID24955730.
Further reading
Irgang, B. E; Backes, Paulo. Mata Atlântica. As Árvores e a Paisagem. 1. ed. Porto Alegre: Paisagem do Sul, 2004. 393 p.
Klein, R.M. Ecologia da flora e vegetação do Vale do Itajaí. Sellowia, 30 e 31. 1979–1980.
Reitz,R.; Klein,R.M.; Reis,A. Projeto Madeira de Santa Catarina. 1978. 320 p.