A dense tree up to 18 meters high; branches glabrous or finely puberulous, or tomentose when young; leaf blades oblong-elliptic, 8 to 28 cm. long, 3 to 10 cm. wide, acuminate or acute at apex, narrowed at base, entire or undulate, subcoriaceous, glabrous or the costa and lateral veins pilosulous; petioles up to 5 cm. long, but usually about 3 cm. long; flowers borne in leafy terminal, subcorymbose, trichotom- ously branched thrysi about 12 cm. long and 10 to 30 cm. broad, the branches subquadrangular, glabrous or puberulous, subtended by bracts resembling small leaves (1 to 8 cm. long, 0.5 to 4 cm. wide); pedicels 1 to 5 mm. long; bractlets ovate, 2 to 3 mm. long, 2 mm, wide, puberulous, ciliolate, subcarinate; calyx 4 to 5 mm. long, the segments ovate, 3 to 4 mm. long, 2 to 3 mm. wide, obtuse or rounded, puberulous and ciliolate; corolla white (or yellow) with a purple spot at the throat, glabrous (except the ciliate lobes), about 2 cm. long, the tube cam- panulate, about 8 mm. broad at throat, the limb about 2 cm. broad, the lobes 1 cm. long, 5 to 6 mm. wide, rounded or emarginate; capsule oblong, 10 to 12 mm. long, obtuse at apex, rounded at base, glabrous, 4-seeded; seeds flat, suborbicular, about 4 mm. in diameter, greenish, glabrous. VERNACULAR NAMES: Sancarano (Curran 222); palo de agua (Bro. Elias 444, 487, 1265, 1507; Dugand 580); sancho araña (Dugand 580; Curran 308, 317). Masses of aerial roots, after the fashion of mangroves, are often produced at the bases of the trees. The wood is said to be light cream in color, medium heavy but not hard, and possessing a coarse uneven grain. It is suitable for packing boxes and food pails. Low wet woods and meadows, Peru; Colombia; Venezuela; north to Oaxaca and Tamaulipas, Mexico. ATLÁNTICO: Woods near Arroyo de Piedras, Dugand 580 (US). Barranquilla, Bro. Elias 974 (US). Galapa, vicinity of Barranquilla, Bro. Elias 444 (US). Puerto Colombia, vicinity of Barranquilla, Bro. Elias 1265 (US), 1507 (US). Sabanalarga, vicinity of Barranquilla, Bro. Elias 487 (US). Uslacuri, Dugand & Garcia-Barriga 2324 (US). BOLÍVAR: Estrella, Caño Papayal, Lands of Loba, Curran 308 (GH, US); 317 (GH). Along the Mompos to Juana Sánchez trail, Island of Mompos, Lands of Loba, Curran 222 (US). Meadow at Morrocoquiel on the Río Sinú, Pennell 4697 (GH, Mo, NY, US). MAGDALENA: Santa Marta, Romero 34 (Mo); H. H. Smith 1869 (GH, Mo, NY, Ph, US); Bertero s. n. (Mo, isotype).