It is a large canopy or emergent tree frequent in tropical wet evergreen forests of the low and mid-elevations (below 1200 m).

The leaves, which are simple, alternate, and arranged in a spiral around the twigs, are leathery, about 8-27 x 4.5–10 cm in size, glabrous, elliptic-oblong, with a short pointed tip, rounded base, and entire margin.

Vateria indica has smaller leaves (7-20 x 5–9 cm), shorter petiole (25–40 mm), and oblong fruit compared to Vateria macrocarpa that has larger leaves (14-40 x 6–20 cm), longer petiole (25–60 mm), and ovoid or oblong fruit with pointed, often curved tip.

[4][14] Tamil: Dhupa maram தூப மரம், Painimaram பைனிமரம், Vellaikundrikam வெள்ளைகுன்றிகம், Vellaidamar வெள்ளை டமார், Vellai kungiliyam  வெள்ளை குங்கிலியம், turulakkam துருளக்கம், vellai kunkiliyam வெள்ளைக்குங்கிலியம் Malayalam: കുന്തിരിക്കപ്പൈന്‍ Kuntirikkappayin, പയിനി Paini, വെള്ളപ്പൈന്‍ Vellappayin, Baine, Kunturukkam, Paenoe, Paine, Paini, Payan, Payani, Payin, Pandam, Pantam, Peini, Perumpayani, Perumpiney, Pine, Piny, Pyney, Telli, Thelli, Vella kunturukkum, Vellapayin, Vellakondricum, Velutta kunturukkam, ബൈനെ, കുന്തുരുക്കും, പൈനോയ്‌, പൈനെ, പൈനി, പയന്‍, പയിനി, പയിന്‍, പഞ്ഞം, പീനി, പെരുംപയിണി, പൈനെയ്‌, തെള്ളി, വെളള കുന്തിരി Kannada: ಬಿಳಿ ಡಾವರು Bili Daamaru, ಬಿಳಿ ಧೂಪ Bili Dhupa, ಧೂಪದ ಮರ Dhupada Mara, Bilagaggala, Dhupa mara, Gugli, Hugadamara, Rala, Velthapaini Telugu: తెల్లగుగ్గిలము tellaguggilamu Marathi: चंद्रुस chandrusa Odia: ମନ୍ଦଧୂପ mandadhupa, ସନ୍ଦରସ sandarasa Sanskrit: सर्जकः sarjakah English: Indian copal tree, Piney varnish tree, White dammar The species is endemic to the Western Ghats mountain range in India, in the southern and central region, from the Agasthyamalai Hills in the south to southern Maharashtra.

[3] The species occurs in evergreen forests from the coastal plains and foothills usually up to an elevation of about 760 m,[5] or to 800 m on the windward side of the Western Ghats in Karnataka.

In Karnataka, the species does not occur in Uttara Kannada district, but was introduced by the Sonda Kinds about 500 years ago and planted along the roadsides in Sirsi, Siddapur, and Yellapur towns.

[5] Vateria indica occurs in areas where the underlying rock is a gneissic complex, often laminated, which may be covered by laterite 9–10 m deep.

The trees are also found in lowland and plateau locations, but mostly occur along well-drained river banks and valleys in humid, moist forest tracts.

[5] Valleys with deep sandy soil and high water table support Vateria indica dominated forests at lower elevations.

[8] Vateria indica trees in Sringeri in the central Western Ghats flower profusely from late January to early May.

No vertebrate seed predators or dispersers have been recorded[10] Low-elevation wet forests of the Western Ghats tend to be dominated by dipterocarps, particularly Vateria indica and Dipterocarpus indicus.

magnifica and Syzygium travancoricum, understorey vegetation including Ochlandra bamboos, Pandanus screw pines, and species of aroids, Acanthaceae, and gingers.

[17] In the Western Ghats, Vateria indica trees are associated with a number of ectomycorrhizal fungi including Pisolithus indicus[19] and the edible macrofungi Russula adusta and R.

[citation needed] Vateria indica wood has been used for making tea-chests, partitions, packing and cordite cases, coffins, boxes, planking, posts, floorings, ceilings, and cabinets, besides bobbins and shuttles in the textile industry, oars for sea-going vessels, and match-splints[3][9] Large amounts of Vateria indica timber were shipped from the Malabar region to Bombay to be sold as “Malabar White Pine” (Vellapiney),[9] with around 6200 tons of timber used per annum in the late 1960s.

[9] The bark, resin, and leaves are used in Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and folk medicine[3][24][21] for the treatment of leprosy, eczema, rheumatism, diarrhoea, and ulcers.

One study found that young amnesic mice subjected to pre-treatment with ethanol extract of Vateria indica bark gained neuro-protection and enhanced memory.

[25] Several stilbenoids (bergenin, hopeaphenol, vaticanol B, vaticanol C, and ε‐viniferin) found in resins (ethanol extract from stem bark of Vateria indica) have been shown to have some in vitro anticancer activity against mouse sarcoma 180 cells by retarding tumor growth when administered in high doses (30 or 100 mg/kg body mass).

[37] According to the recent assessment, besides the timber exploitation and extensive habitat loss due to human activities in lowland areas, the species has very restricted seed dispersal, limiting regeneration.