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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Mahogany family
| image = Chinaberry1216.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Melia azedarach]]'' in flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = '''Meliaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| type_genus = ''[[Chinaberry|Melia]]''
| type_genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = See text.
}}

The '''Meliaceae''', or the '''Mahogany family''', is a [[flowering plant]] family of mostly [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s (and a few [[herbaceous]] plants) in the order [[Sapindales]],

They are characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules, and by syncarpous, apparently bisexual (but actually mostly cryptically unisexual) [[flower]]s borne in panicles, cymes, spikes, or clusters. Most species are [[evergreen]], but some are [[deciduous]], either in the [[dry season]] or in [[winter]].

The family includes about 50 genera and 550 species, with a pantropical distribution; one genus (''Toona'') extends north into temperate [[China]] and south into southeast [[Australia]], and another (''Melia'') nearly as far north.

==Uses==
Various species are used for [[vegetable oil]], [[soap]]-making, [[insecticide]]s, and highly prized [[wood]] (mahogany).

Some economically important species belong to this family:
*[[Neem]] ''Azadirachta indica'' ([[India]])
*[[Carapa|Crabwood Tree]] ''Carapa procera'' (South America and [[Africa]])
*[[Cedrela]] ''Cedrela odorata'' (Central and South America; timber also known as Spanish-cedar)
*[[Entandrophragma|Sapele]] ''Entandrophragma cylindricum'' (tropical [[Africa]])
*[[Entandrophragma|Utile]] or Sipo, ''Entandrophragma utile'' (tropical [[Africa]])
*[[Guarea|Bossé]] ''Guarea cedrata'' ([[Africa]])
*[[Guarea|Bossé]] ''Guarea thompsonii'' ([[Africa]])
*[[Khaya|Ivory Coast Mahogany]] ''Khaya ivorensis'' (tropical [[Africa]])
*[[Khaya|Senegal Mahogany]] ''Khaya senegalensis'' (tropical [[Africa]])
*[[Chinaberry]] or Bead Tree, ''Melia azedarach'' ([[Queensland]], [[India]] and southern [[China]])
*[[Swietenia|Mahogany]] ''Swietenia'' species (tropical Americas)
*[[Toona|Australian Redcedar]] ''Toona australis'' ([[Australia]]), often included in ''Toona ciliata'' (seq.)
*[[Toona|Toon]], surian (int. trade) ''Toona ciliata'' ([[India]], southeast [[Asia]] and eastern [[Australia]])

==Genera==
*''[[Aglaia (genus)|Aglaia]]'' [[Image:Aglaiaodorata1web.jpg|right|thumb|Chinese Rice Flower (''Aglaia odorata'')]]
*''[[Anthocarapa]]''
*''Aphanamixis''
*''Astrotrichilia''
*''[[Neem|Azadirachta]]''
*''Cabralea''
*''Calodecarya''
*''Capuronianthus''
*''[[Carapa]]''
*''[[Cedrela]]''
*''Chisocheton''
*''Chukrasia''
*''Cipadessa''
*''[[Dysoxylum]]''
*''Ekebergia''
*''[[Entandrophragma]]''
*''[[Guarea]]''
*''Heckeldora''
*''Humbertioturraea''
*''[[Khaya]]''
*''Lansium''
*''Lepidotrichilia''
*''Lovoa''
*''Malleastrum''
*''[[Chinaberry|Melia]]''
*''Munronia''
*''Naregamia''
*''Neobeguea''
*''[[Owenia]]''
*''Pseudobersama''
*''Pseudocarapa''
*''Pseudocedrela''
*''Pterorhachis''
*''Reinwardtiodendron''
*''Ruagea''
*''Sandoricum''
*''Schmardaea''
*''Soymida''
*''Sphaerosacme''
*''[[Swietenia]]''
*''[[Synoum]]''
*''[[Toona]]''
*''Trichilia''
*''[[Turraea]]''
*''Turraeanthus''
*''Vavaea''
*''Walsura''
*''Xylocarpus''

==References==
* Pennington, T. D. and B. T. Styles. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. ''Blumea'' 22: 419-540.

==External links==
*[http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/meliacea.htm Meliaceae] in [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.]
*[http://www.mahoganyforthefuture.org/projectmeliaceae/ Project Meliaceae]

[[Category:Meliaceae| ]]
[[Category:Sapindales]]
[[Category:Plant families]]
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