PlantaeHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Hieronyma alchorneoides
Surá
Allemão, 1848
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
The surá or pilón (Hieronyma alchorneoides) is an imposing canopy and emergent tree of the Phyllanthaceae family, famous in the Neotropics for the beauty, hardness, and durability of its dark reddish-brown wood. It is a forest giant that can exceed 40 meters (130 feet) in height, developing a massive cylindrical trunk supported by spectacular, high, and spreading buttress roots. Its bark is a reddish-brown hue that flakes off in irregular plates. The leaves are large, alternate, and elliptical, covered in minute scales; an unmistakable visual trait of this species is that the old leaves turn a brilliant scarlet red before falling, dotting the tree's green crown with flashes of fire throughout the year. It produces tiny flowers organized in axillary panicles and small, spherical, purplish-black fleshy fruits. From southern Mexico to Brazil, it is an emblematic species of mature primary forests and an inexhaustible food source for frugivorous avifauna.
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TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Tracheophyta
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Magnoliopsida
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Malpighiales
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Phyllanthaceae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Hieronyma
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.Allemão, 1848
Record Completeness
91%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Native
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Decreasing
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
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Growth HabitPhysical form and structure of the plant: tree, shrub, herb, vine, epiphyte, aquatic, etc.
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Leaf TypeLeaf characteristics: deciduous (seasonal shed), evergreen, simple, compound, needle-like, etc.
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Flowering SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
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Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
It is a tree typical of humid and very humid tropical and premontane forests, from sea level up to 1,000 meters in elevation, tolerating very high rainfall (up to 5,000 mm annually). It dominates the canopy of mature primary forests, although it can also establish itself in late secondary forests. It exhibits excellent tolerance to poor, acidic, and poorly drained soils (such as ultisols and oxisols), which explains its abundance in certain rainy plains and hills of Costa Rica, Panama, and the Amazon. It requires high light for optimal growth in its juvenile stage, developing vigorously in gaps formed by the fall of other trees.Light & Water NeedsSunlight intensity and moisture levels this plant needs to grow and reproduce successfully. Multi-lang
Information not available in English. Help us expand this record!BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
The surá plays the role of an ecological flagship in the canopy structure. As an emergent tree, its upper branches push their way beyond the average green roof of the rainforest, enduring the inclemency of direct wind and tropical ultraviolet rays. This exposure forces the plant to generate micro-ecosystems in its own arms. By never losing all its leaves at the same time, the tree provides uninterrupted shade to the lower layers, while its rough bark harbors hundreds of bromeliads and orchids that take advantage of the safe balcony the resilient tree grants them to flourish.Toxicity / UsesToxic compounds present and their documented effects on humans or other organisms. Multi-lang
Information not available in English. Help us expand this record!Physical Measures
Length (cm)
1500.0 - 4000.0 cm
Reproductive StructuresFlowers, fruits, and seeds — the reproductive organs and their seasonal appearance.
Flower Photos (Max 2)
No imageFruit Photos (Max 2)
No imageEvolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Extreme buttress roots: To support its immense and heavy trunk in shallow, waterlogged tropical soils, the surá develops buttresses (tabular roots) that can extend several meters away from the trunk and scale up to 3 meters (10 feet) in height above the base. This adaptation mechanically distributes the enormous structural weight of the tree, preventing it from being blown over by hurricanes or strong canopy winds.
Dense wood with high silica concentration: The wood of this species is famous for being incredibly hard, heavy, and rot-proof. Evolutionarily, this is because the tree extracts silica from the soil and deposits it inside its wood cells. This microscopic armor of 'glass' makes the tree virtually invulnerable to attacks by termites, wood-boring beetles, and rot fungi, guaranteeing it a life of several centuries in a humid jungle.
Obligate dioecy (Separation of sexes): The surá has evolved the extreme sexual dimorphism of having separate male and female trees (dioecy). This is an adaptation to force cross-fertilization (allogamy). By preventing the plant from self-pollinating, the surá ensures constant genetic recombination, giving rise to descendants with the necessary vigor to face diseases and compete aggressively in the forest canopy.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Indiscriminate logging and timber exploitation: Its wood is one of the most coveted in Central America, used for heavy carpentry, fine flooring, boat building, and luxury furniture. Because of this, straight, mature adult trees have been exhaustively logged from unprotected forests, drastically reducing their wild populations and altering the original canopy structure.
Slow biological regeneration: Because they are trees that require large areas of humid forest and highly specific pollinators or vertebrate dispersers, and taking many years to produce seed, the fragmentation of the jungle for monocultures isolates male specimens from females, collapsing their local natural reproduction.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
Tool-killer: The silica content in the wood of Hieronyma alchorneoides is so overwhelmingly high that it quickly dulls, blunts, and destroys the teeth of metal saws, chainsaw blades, and modern carpentry tools. Loggers must use saws with tungsten carbide or diamond-tipped blades to be able to process it properly.
The forest traffic light: The leaves of the pilón undergo a phenomenon similar to autumn trees in temperate climates. When the leaf ages and the chlorophyll breaks down, instead of turning yellow, it flushes a vibrant, brilliant scarlet red, hanging solitarily like a flag. Looking at the green canopy of the tropical forest from a distance and seeing sporadic bright red spots is the unmistakable indicator that there are surá trees in that jungle.
It is a massive carbon trap tree. Due to its enormous bulky growth, long life, and structurally very dense and heavy wood, H. alchorneoides is one of the Neotropical jungle species that captures and retains the most atmospheric carbon dioxide in its biomass in the long term, providing a vital ecological service against global climate change.