Distinguishing traits include: the branchlets often have thick scars of fallen leaves; the leaf shape, margins and base.

However Schot warns that only the extreme forms of A. villosa leaves are really distinct, otherwise intermediates occur between this species and Aporosa octandra.

[1] The tree can germinate under full sunlight, and is a pioneer species of early successional stages, it is spread by humans and birds.

[6] Frequent burning (7 or more fires in 10 years) occur in many places in the dry dipterocarp forest of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (northwestern Thailand).

Trees identified in a plot at Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary (Mae Hong Son Province, northwestern Thailand) were Anneslea fragrans, A. villosa, Craibiodendron stellatum, Dillenia sp., Gardenia sootepensis, Gluta usitata, Quercus sp., Shorea obtusa, Tristaniopsis burmanica var.

The tree is one of four dominant species (Scaevola sericea, Messerschmidia argentea, Guettarda speciosa, A. villosa) growing on the sand barriers of Dong Dao Island, South China Sea.

[9] Villagers living on the plateau of Phnom Kulen National Park, in Svay Leu District, Siem Reap Province, northwestern Cambodia, use parts of the shrub in their traditional medicinal practices.