Antiaris Toxicaria

Antiaris toxicaria is native to Australia, Cameroon, China (the warmer southern and eastern areas including Hainan Island), Democratic Republic of Congo, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Thailand, Tonga, Uganda and Vietnam.

The name antiaris is derived directly from the Javanese language name for it: ancar (obsolete Dutch-era spelling: antjar). There are several other botanical names (synonyms): Antiaris africana Engl., the Antiaris macrophylla R.Br. and the Antiaris welwitschii Engl..

Commonly used local names include: In English it may be called bark cloth tree, antiaris, false iroko, false mvule or upas tree. In the Javanese language it is known as the upas or ancar, in the Indonesian language as bemu. In the related languages of the Philippines Filipino upas, and Malaysia Malaysian as antiaris and ancar. In Thai it is the yangyong. In Mandinka, it is the jafo and in Wolof the kan or man.

The Chinese of Hainan Island, refer to the tree as the "Poison Arrow Tree" (Chinese: 箭毒木; pinyin: Jiàndú Mù) as its sap was smeared on arrowheads in ancient times by the Li people for use in hunting and warfare.