Meliaceae

Mahogany family
Melia azedarach in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Meliaceae Juss.
Genera
See text.

The Meliaceae, or the Mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs (and a few herbaceous plants, mangroves) in the order Sapindales.

They are characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules, and by syncarpous, apparently bisexual (but actually mostly cryptically unisexual) flowers 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.

Fruits of Chisocheton paniculatus in Pakke Tiger Reserve

Uses

Various species are used for vegetable oil, soap-making, insecticides, and highly prized wood (mahogany).

Some economically important species belong to this family:

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

Genera

Chinese Rice Flower (Aglaia odorata)

Aglaia Anthocarapa Aphanamixis Astrotrichilia Azadirachta Cabralea Calodecarya Capuronianthus Carapa Cedrela Cedrelopsis Chisocheton Chukrasia Cipadessa Dysoxylum Ekebergia

Entandrophragma Guarea Heckeldora Humbertioturraea Khaya Lansium Lepidotrichilia Lovoa Malleastrum 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. & Styles, B.T. (1975): A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. Blumea 22: 419-540.

External links

• Meliaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
• Project Meliaceae
• For reference about the Malaysian species visit: http://sites.google.com/site/malaysianedibleflora