Meliaceae

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.
 Mahogany family

Melia azedarach in flower

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Eudicots

Clade: Rosids

Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Juss.[1]

Subfamilies

Cedreloideae
Melioideae

They are characterised by alternate,

usually pinnate leaves without stipules,
and by syncarpous,[2] 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 53 genera and
about 600 known species,[3] 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 cumingianus

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

Some economically important genera and

species belong to this family:

Neem tree Azadirachta indica (India)

Carapa: includes the "crabwood trees"
e.g. Carapa procera (South America and
Africa)
Cedrela odorata Central and South
America; timber also known as Spanish-
cedar
Entandrophragma: includes sapele and
"utile" or "sipo" (E. utile) of tropical Africa
 Guarea, the genus of Bossé or "pink
mahogany" includes: G. thompsonii and
G. cedrata (Africa)
Khaya includes: Ivory Coast Mahogany
and Senegal Mahogany (tropical Africa)
Chinaberry or White Cedar, Melia
azedarach (Indomalaya and Australasia)
Swietenia is the classic "mahogany"
genus from the tropical Americas
Toona: the genus of "toon tree" species
(tropical Asia, Malesia, and Australia),
especially Toona ciliata

Genera
Chinese Rice Flower (Aglaia odorata)

subfamily Cedreloideae

This is also known as subfamily

Swietenioideae.[4][5]

tribe Cedreleae[4]
Cedrela – Americas
Toona - Asia

other tribes and genera:

Capuronianthus
Carapa
Cedrelopsis
Chukrasia
Entandrophragma
Khaya
Lovoa
Neobeguea
Pseudocedrela
Schmardaea
Soymida
Swietenia
Xylocarpus
subfamily Melioideae

tribe: Aglaieae
Aglaia
Lansium
Reinwardtiodendron

- related genera:

Chisocheton
Dysoxylum (synonym Pseudocarapa)
Sphaerosacme

tribe: Guareeae[6] - Africa

Guarea

- related genera:
 Heckeldora
Leplaea
Ruagea
Turraeanthus

tribe: Melieae

Melia
Azadirachta[7]

tribe: Sandoriceae

Sandoricum

tribe: Turraeeae

Calodecarya
Humbertioturraea
 Munronia
Naregamia
Nymania
Turraea

- related genera:

Anthocarapa

tribe: Trichilieae

Astrotrichilia
Cipadessa
Ekebergia
Heynea
Lepidotrichilia
Malleastrum
 Owenia
Pseudobersama
Pseudoclausena
Pterorhachis
Trichilia
Walsura

tribe: Vavaeeae

Vavaea

tribe unassigned:

Aphanamixis
Cabralea
Synoum
Notes
1. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An
update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
classification for the orders and families of
flowering plants: APG III" . Botanical
Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2):
105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-
8339.2009.00996.x . Retrieved 2016-03-21.
2. Of a gynoecium, made up of united
carpels
3. Christenhusz, M. J. M.; Byng, J. W.
(2016). "The number of known plants
species in the world and its annual
increase" . Phytotaxa. Magnolia Press. 261
(3): 201–217.
doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1 .
4. Gouvea CF, Dornelas MC, Rodriguez APM
(2008). "Floral Development in the Tribe
Cedreleae (Meliaceae, Sub-family
Swietenioideae): Cedrela and Toona" .
Annals of Botany 101(1):39-48. Retrieved
18 January 2018.
5. Missouri Botanic Garden: list of
Meliaceae genera (retrieved 18 January
2018)
6. Koenen E (2011) Phylogenetic and
biogeographic studies in Guareeae
(Meliaceae: Melioideae) - (retrieved 18
January 2018)
7. Koenen E (2011) ibid.

References
P , T.D. S , 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

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Meliaceae&oldid=821094452"
Last edited 4 days ago by Roy Bate…

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.