The roots, bark and leaves are poisonous and are used in local medicine.
These plants occur along south and eastern South Africa at the edges of coastal and moist inland (often-evergreen) forests, forest margins, as well as dry forests and dune forests.
Conservation: National Status: L C. Least Concern but Declining. Assessed: 2016 (C.J. Geldenhuys and L. von Staden). This is possibly due to bark harvesting for traditional use – especially in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The population is decreasing.