Which Amazonian tree is also known as the Brazil rubber tree and produces latex?

Hevea brasiliensis is the Amazonian tree also known as the Brazil rubber tree and produces latex.

The tree is native to the Amazon Basin and belongs to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. Its latex is a natural polymer that can be coagulated and processed into rubber. Traditional and commercial harvesting involves making shallow diagonal cuts in the bark without felling the tree.

The species became central to the Amazon rubber economy, especially in the nineteenth century. The boom helped transform cities such as Manaus and Belém, but the industry weakened after rubber cultivation expanded in Asian plantations.

The name can cause confusion because several plants produce latex, and “rubber tree” may refer to unrelated species in ordinary speech. Hevea brasiliensis is the specific botanical source associated with natural rubber production.