Alexandrian laurel is a slow-growing, medium-sized evergreen tree with a spreading crown; it usually grows up to 25 metres tall, occasionally to 35 metres. The bole is usually short and twisted or leaning; it can be up to 150cm in diameter. All parts of the plant contain a sticky yellowish latex.A multipurpose plant, it is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The oil from its seed is traded internationally as tamanu oil or foraha oil, but quantities involved are not known
