It belongs to the Dipterocarpaceae Family, with the Latin name of Hopea chinensis.

The evergreen arbor can attain the height of up to 25 meters, with a chest diameter of 75 centimeters. It bears taupe or gray black bark flaking into pieces. The keratinous leaves, elliptic or lance-shaped, are 5 to 15 centimeters long. Its panicle is axillary or acrogenous, 10 to 20 centimeters long. The light red flower bears 5 petals, about 2 centimeters long, with 15 stamens surrounding in 2 cycles. The ovoid nut of 1.8 centimeters long has 5 persistent sepals at the base, 2 of which swell into aliform shape.     

It grows in valleys, trench edges and seasonal rain forests on lower hillsides about 470 to 700 meters above sea level, with plenty rainfall and high temperature, hot in summer and warm in winter. It prefers moist and fertile acid soil. The seedlings and young trees are shade-tolerant, but it turns to be photophilous when grown up.

It has a narrow distribution area, only found on Shiwanda Mountain in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is a peculiar and valuable species in tropical seasonal rain forests of China. Being stiff and perfectly rot-proof, it enjoys the name of "Wood for Ages", and can be used for war industry, cars and vessels, mechanism and high-quality furniture.