This shrub or tree is found in the coastal dry forest of Colombia, Venezuela, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. It has a fairly widespread geographic range, although much of it is in areas that have been transformed by agricultural expansion and urban and touristic developments. There is limited information regarding population size but the population trend is suspected to be declining. Based on available information, and possible future declines in habitat quality and area of occupancy due to developments is the area, this species is listed as Near Threatened. However, more detailed population information is desirable.

This species is distributed in the north of Colombia and Venezuela, and on the islands Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

There is little population information for this species. In the ABC Islands (formerly the Netherlands Antilles) it is considered "not common; mainly in the western part of Curacao and the hilly region of Aruba" (Stoffers 1982).

These are shrubs or small trees, 6 m tall, found close to beach and tropical dry forest.

The dry forest and shrub ecosystems where the species is found are very fragile and are exposed to various threats that have altered the habitats in most of their range, to the point that their trees are considered among the most endangered in Colombia and Venezuela (Oliveira Miranda et al. 2010). A large part of these forests and shrubs have been transformed by agricultural activities such as goat farming and urban development for housing and tourist sites. This can be verified by examining the maps of Etter (1998), Huber and Alarcón (1988) and more recently IDEAM (2017). Most of the records in Colombia and some in Venezuela are found in areas that have been so heavily intervened that they are considered “transformed ecosystems,” including the surroundings of important cities such as Barranquilla, Caracas and Santa Marta.

There is no use or trade information for this species.

This species is found in at least one protected area (Parque Nacional Cerro El Copey). There are no known ex situ collections in botanic gardens worldwide (BGCI 2020).