Is a small shrub of the undergrowth in the transitional Venezuelan cloud forest. The plant containslatex. The leaf anatomy has been studied by ROTH (1990). The lower epidermis is furnished withglands which may function as hydathodes. The genus is rich in alkaloids and has usually latex.Of the species studied, roots, fruits, leaves and bark may be useful. From several species, a rubber-like substance is extracted from the latex. The latex is also used to destroy warts. A bark decoction is used to treat syphilis in the tertiary stage. Inflammation of the eyes, cough, snake bites, wounds, tumors and many other diseases are cured wiht the above mentioned parts of different species. It is therefore possible that T. benthamiana also has certain healing properties.

South American medicinal plants : botany, remedial properties, and general use / I. Roth, H. Lindorf. Berlin ; New York : Springer, c2002. -- p. 492.