臺灣原生，日本及南韓亦有分佈。常綠大喬木，樹皮暗褐至黑色，頂芽有紙質鱗片；小枝綠色、光滑。葉螺旋著生於小枝條的先端，無托葉，闊卵形、菱形或披針狀橢圓形，革質，表面光滑綠色，背面淡綠色，基部趨向於全緣，上部有鋸齒。花10~20枚呈頂生的總狀花序，不顯著。花期4~5月。沒有花被卻是蟲媒花，由雌蕊分泌蜜汁以吸引昆蟲替它傳粉。蓇葖果扁球形，先端離生開裂。種子線形、黑色。果期6~8月。

Native to Taiwan, now also distributed in Japan and South Korea. Large evergreen tree with dark-brown to black bark, papery scales on the terminal buds; branchlets green and smooth. Leaves spirally grown at the apex of the branchlets, stipules absent, broadly ovate, rhombic or lanceolate, leathery, smooth green on the upper surface, pale green on the back, the base near entire on the margin, and serrated on the upper part. Flowers 10-20, terminal racemes, not prominent. Flowering from April to May. Flowers are entomophilous but without perianth. The pistil secretes nectar to attract insects to pollinate it. Follicles oblate, apex free and dehiscent. Seeds linear and black. Fruit from June to August.

喜強日照，以富含有機質排水良好的土壤為佳。以種子繁殖為主。

The plants thrive in full sun and soils with rich organic matter and good drainage are preferred. Mainly propagated by seeds.

可做庭園景觀樹、行道樹。木質優良可做傢俱；樹皮中含有黏質，取出可用以捕鳥或捕蠅紙，因此有鳥黐之名。嫩葉為救荒食材。

It can be used as garden landscape trees and street trees. The quality wood can be used to make furniture; the bark contains adhesive substance which can be spread on papers to trap birds or flies, that’s why it’s also called bird lime. Young leaves can be food during emergency periods.