Difference between revisions of "Meliaceae"

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__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
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| name = ''Meliaceae''
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| common_names = Mahogany family
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| color = IndianRed
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| image = Chinaberry1216.JPG
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| image_width = 180px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
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| image_caption = Melia azedarach in flower
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| regnum = Plantae
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| divisio = Magnoliophyta
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| classis = Magnoliopsida
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| ordo = Sapindales
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| familia = '''Meliaceae
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}}
 
{{Inc|
 
{{Inc|
 
Meliaceae (from the genus Melia, the Greek name of the somewhat similar manna-ash). Mahogany Family. Fig. 31. Trees or shrubs: leaves usually alternate, pinnate or rarely simple: flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, panicled; sepals 4-5, usually partly connate, imbricated; petals 4-5, rarely 3-8, separate, or connate or adnate to the stamens; stamens 8-10, rarely 5, or numerous, hypogynous, filaments usually connate into a tube which is entire or lacerate, rarely free; disk present; ovary superior, 2-5-celled, rarely 1- or many- celled, each cell 2-, rarely several-, ovuled; style and stigma 1: fruit a drupe, berry, or capsule.
 
Meliaceae (from the genus Melia, the Greek name of the somewhat similar manna-ash). Mahogany Family. Fig. 31. Trees or shrubs: leaves usually alternate, pinnate or rarely simple: flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, panicled; sepals 4-5, usually partly connate, imbricated; petals 4-5, rarely 3-8, separate, or connate or adnate to the stamens; stamens 8-10, rarely 5, or numerous, hypogynous, filaments usually connate into a tube which is entire or lacerate, rarely free; disk present; ovary superior, 2-5-celled, rarely 1- or many- celled, each cell 2-, rarely several-, ovuled; style and stigma 1: fruit a drupe, berry, or capsule.
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Melia Azedarach, an Asiatic tree, is bitter, and has been used in medicine as a purgative and vermifuge. Other species of Meliaceae are purgative and emetic, or are used for heartburn, and the like. Some have the odor of garlic. The bark of the Asiatic Walsura piscidia is used to stupefy fish. The pulp of the fruit of Aglaia edulis is said to be delicious. The bitter bark of mahogany has been used in place of quinine. The most celebrated member of the family is Swietenia Mahogani of the West Indies and Peru, which furnishes the mahogany timber of commerce. The wood of the West Indian Cedrela odorata is fragrant, and is the so-called cigar-box cedar, from which these boxes are made. The sawdust of the South African sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum) causes sneezing, hence the popular name.
 
Melia Azedarach, an Asiatic tree, is bitter, and has been used in medicine as a purgative and vermifuge. Other species of Meliaceae are purgative and emetic, or are used for heartburn, and the like. Some have the odor of garlic. The bark of the Asiatic Walsura piscidia is used to stupefy fish. The pulp of the fruit of Aglaia edulis is said to be delicious. The bitter bark of mahogany has been used in place of quinine. The most celebrated member of the family is Swietenia Mahogani of the West Indies and Peru, which furnishes the mahogany timber of commerce. The wood of the West Indian Cedrela odorata is fragrant, and is the so-called cigar-box cedar, from which these boxes are made. The sawdust of the South African sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum) causes sneezing, hence the popular name.
  
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Five or more genera are in cultivation in America, all confined to southern California and southern Florida, except Melia, which is common throughout the southern states, and Cedrela sinensis, hardy in Mass. Among these are Cedrela (West Indian Cedar); Melia (Pride of India, China-berry Tree, Texas Umbrella Tree); Ptaeroxylon (Sneezewood); Swietenia (Mahogany).
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Five or more genera are in cultivation in America, all confined to southern California and southern Florida, except Melia, which is common throughout the southern states, and Cedrela sinensis, hardy in Mass. Among these are Cedrela (West Indian Cedar); Melia (Pride of India, China-berry Tree, Texas Umbrella Tree); Ptaeroxylon (Sneezewood); Swietenia (Mahogany).{{SCH}}
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{{SCH}}
 
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}}
 
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{{Taxobox
 
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| color = lightgreen
 
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| name = Mahogany family
 
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| image = Chinaberry1216.JPG
 
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| image_width = 240px
 
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| image_caption = ''[[Melia azedarach]]'' in flower
 
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
 
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
 
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| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
 
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| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
 
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| familia = '''Meliaceae'''
 
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| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
 
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| type_genus = ''[[Chinaberry|Melia]]''
 
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| type_genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
 
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| subdivision_ranks = Genera
 
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| subdivision = See text.
 
 
}}
 
}}
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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]],
 
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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]].
 
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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.
 
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==Uses==
 
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Various species are used for [[vegetable oil]], [[soap]]-making, [[insecticide]]s, and highly prized [[wood]] (mahogany).
 
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Some economically important species belong to this family:
 
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*[[Neem]] ''Azadirachta indica'' ([[India]])
 
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*[[Carapa|Crabwood Tree]] ''Carapa procera'' (South America and [[Africa]])
 
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*[[Cedrela]] ''Cedrela odorata'' (Central and South America; timber also known as Spanish-cedar)
 
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*[[Entandrophragma|Sapele]] ''Entandrophragma cylindricum'' (tropical [[Africa]])
 
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*[[Entandrophragma|Utile]] or Sipo, ''Entandrophragma utile'' (tropical [[Africa]])
 
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*[[Guarea|Bossé]] ''Guarea cedrata'' ([[Africa]])
 
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*[[Guarea|Bossé]] ''Guarea thompsonii'' ([[Africa]])
 
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*[[Khaya|Ivory Coast Mahogany]] ''Khaya ivorensis'' (tropical [[Africa]])
 
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*[[Khaya|Senegal Mahogany]] ''Khaya senegalensis'' (tropical [[Africa]])
 
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*[[Chinaberry]] or Bead Tree, ''Melia azedarach'' ([[Queensland]], [[India]] and southern [[China]])
 
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*[[Swietenia|Mahogany]] ''Swietenia'' species (tropical Americas)
 
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*[[Toona|Australian Redcedar]] ''Toona australis'' ([[Australia]]), often included in ''Toona ciliata'' (seq.)
 
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*[[Toona|Toon]], surian (int. trade) ''Toona ciliata'' ([[India]], southeast [[Asia]] and eastern [[Australia]])
 
  
 
==Genera==
 
==Genera==
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*''Walsura''
 
*''Walsura''
 
*''Xylocarpus''
 
*''Xylocarpus''
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==Gallery==
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
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<gallery>
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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</gallery>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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* Pennington, T. D. and B. T. Styles. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. ''Blumea'' 22: 419-540.
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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*[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.]
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*{{wplink}}
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*[http://www.mahoganyforthefuture.org/projectmeliaceae/ Project Meliaceae]
 
  
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[[Category:Meliaceae| ]]
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{{stub}}
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[[Category:Sapindales]]
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[[Category:Categorize]]
 
[[Category:Plant families]]
 
[[Category:Plant families]]

Latest revision as of 18:23, 13 May 2009


Melia azedarach in flower


Plant Characteristics
Cultivation
Scientific Names

'''Meliaceae >



Read about Meliaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Meliaceae (from the genus Melia, the Greek name of the somewhat similar manna-ash). Mahogany Family. Fig. 31. Trees or shrubs: leaves usually alternate, pinnate or rarely simple: flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, panicled; sepals 4-5, usually partly connate, imbricated; petals 4-5, rarely 3-8, separate, or connate or adnate to the stamens; stamens 8-10, rarely 5, or numerous, hypogynous, filaments usually connate into a tube which is entire or lacerate, rarely free; disk present; ovary superior, 2-5-celled, rarely 1- or many- celled, each cell 2-, rarely several-, ovuled; style and stigma 1: fruit a drupe, berry, or capsule.

There are 42 genera and about 600 species, all confined to the tropics. They enter the United States only in southern Florida. Some fossil species are known. The family is related to the Rutaceae, but lacks the resin and oil-glands. It is closely related to all of the disk-bearing families, but is distinguished by the peculiar stamen-tube with teeth and fringe.

There is the greatest diversity in the arrangement of the anthers on the staminal tube and the dentation or fringing of the latter. Very commonly there are 2 stipule-like teeth just below the anthers. The seeds are sometimes winged (in mahogany). The leaves are rarely transparent-dotted (Flindersia).

Melia Azedarach, an Asiatic tree, is bitter, and has been used in medicine as a purgative and vermifuge. Other species of Meliaceae are purgative and emetic, or are used for heartburn, and the like. Some have the odor of garlic. The bark of the Asiatic Walsura piscidia is used to stupefy fish. The pulp of the fruit of Aglaia edulis is said to be delicious. The bitter bark of mahogany has been used in place of quinine. The most celebrated member of the family is Swietenia Mahogani of the West Indies and Peru, which furnishes the mahogany timber of commerce. The wood of the West Indian Cedrela odorata is fragrant, and is the so-called cigar-box cedar, from which these boxes are made. The sawdust of the South African sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum) causes sneezing, hence the popular name.

Five or more genera are in cultivation in America, all confined to southern California and southern Florida, except Melia, which is common throughout the southern states, and Cedrela sinensis, hardy in Mass. Among these are Cedrela (West Indian Cedar); Melia (Pride of India, China-berry Tree, Texas Umbrella Tree); Ptaeroxylon (Sneezewood); Swietenia (Mahogany).CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Genera

Gallery

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  • photo 1

  • photo 2

  • photo 3

References

External links

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