Simaroubaceae
Simaroubaceae
Simaroubaceae (pronounced sih-mah-roo-buh-see-ee) is a family of flowering plants that includes about 32 genera and 170 species. The family is distributed worldwide, but most species are found in the tropics.
Etymology
The name Simaroubaceae is derived from the genus Simarouba, which was named by French botanist Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet in 1775. The name Simarouba is of Tupi-Guarani origin, a language spoken by indigenous people in South America, and it means "tree that has bitter bark".
Description
Members of the Simaroubaceae family are usually trees or shrubs. They are characterized by their bitter bark, which is often used for medicinal purposes. The leaves are usually pinnately compound, and the flowers are small and unisexual. The fruit is a drupe or a samara.
Genera
Some of the notable genera in the Simaroubaceae family include:
Medicinal Uses
Many species in the Simaroubaceae family have been used in traditional medicine. For example, the bark of Quassia amara is used as a treatment for malaria and as an insecticide. Ailanthus altissima, also known as the tree of heaven, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments.
Related Terms
- Drupe: A type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell with a seed inside.
- Samara: A type of fruit in which a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue develops from the ovary wall.
- Pinnate: A term used to describe leaves that are divided into leaflets arranged on either side of the stem, like a feather.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Simaroubaceae
- Wikipedia's article - Simaroubaceae
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