The dry chaco where this tree is found has dense spiny woodlands consisting of low trees and an understorey of Aspidosperma, Astronium, Schinopsis, Ceiba, and Bulnesia.
Kopsanone is a bio-active alkaloid isolated from Aspidosperma.
Their common name is quebracho, from Spanish quiebra-hacha ("axe-breaker") in recognition of the hardness of their wood, or more precisely quebracho colorado ("red quebracho"), to distinguish them from the "white quebracho" trees of the quite unrelated genus Aspidosperma.