Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Simaroubaceae

Simaroubaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order , consisting of approximately 22 genera and 120 species of predominantly trees and shrubs characterized by the presence of quassinoid triterpenoids, which impart a distinctive bitter taste. These woody plants typically feature alternate, pinnately compound or simple leaves, small unisexual or bisexual flowers with 4–5 sepals and petals, and fruits that are often drupes or samaras. The family is monophyletic and well-supported in molecular phylogenies, with its synapomorphy being the production of quassinoids, a class of compounds unique to this group. Morphologically, members of Simaroubaceae exhibit considerable variation, including thorny shrubs in arid habitats and large canopy trees in rainforests; leaves are generally exstipulate and non-punctate, while inflorescences are axillary or terminal panicles. Flowers are inconspicuous, with stamens often exceeding the number of petals (typically 8–10) and inserted on a disk; the superior usually has 4–5 carpels, each with 1–2 ovules, leading to fruits that dehisce or remain indehiscent. Some genera, such as Castela, are adapted to environments with spiny branches, while others like Homalolepis (the largest with 28 ) are confined to tropical . The family has a primarily distribution, with the highest diversity in the Neotropics (tropical ), extending to , , , and northern ; a few reach warm temperate zones. Ecologically, Simaroubaceae often occupy diverse habitats from rainforests to dry scrublands, with some exhibiting or geophytic habits. Notable examples include (tree of heaven), an in temperate regions, and Simarouba amara, valued for its medicinal . Simaroubaceae holds significance in and due to the antimalarial, anticancer, and insecticidal properties of their quassinoids, with genera like Quassia and Eurycoma traditionally used in . The family has been subject to taxonomic revisions based on molecular data, refining its boundaries from earlier broader circumscriptions.

Description

Morphology

Members of the Simaroubaceae family are predominantly woody , including trees and shrubs, with some reaching heights of up to 30 meters (100 feet), as seen in . Rarely, they occur as lianas or geophytes, such as dwarf species of Homalolepis in central , and thorns are present only in Castela. The stems are typically woody with pithy wood, featuring fiber-tracheids and vessels that may have spiral thickenings in genera like Castela and Leitneria. Leaves in Simaroubaceae are alternate and spirally arranged, usually exstipulate, and most often pinnately compound, though simple or unifoliolate forms occur in genera such as Castela, Leitneria, and some Simaba species. Leaflets are frequently opposite or subopposite, with shapes varying from entire to serrate or toothed margins, and they often bear glandular structures like apical nectariferous glands in Homalolepis and Simaba or scattered laminar glands. The leaves impart a attributable to quassinoids, triterpenoid compounds concentrated in the tissues. Inflorescences are typically terminal or axillary, forming panicles, racemes, thyrses, or cymes, with flowers that are small and actinomorphic. Flowers exhibit variation in sexuality, being bisexual or unisexual, with in genera like Ailanthus, Castela, Leitneria, Picrolemma, and Simarouba. They are mostly pentamerous, though tetramerous or hexamerous forms exist in some species; sepals number 3–5 (rarely absent), 4–5 (or absent in Leitneria), and stamens range from 5–10, often twice the petal number with filament appendages in many genera. The superior , borne on a short gynophore or disc, contains 2–5 locules with 1–2 ovules per carpel, and a nectary disc is characteristically present. Fruits in Simaroubaceae are diverse, including capsular, samaroid, or drupaceous types, often comprising 1–5 one-seeded mericarps or fruitlets with a fleshy mesocarp. For instance, Ailanthus produces winged samaroid fruitlets suited for wind dispersal, while Homalolepis features large drupes up to 10 cm, and Castela has small, to globose drupelets. Seeds possess a thin, hard coat and scanty , with embryos that are straight or curved and two cotyledons; wings may be present or absent depending on the fruit type. A distinctive chemical trait of the family is the accumulation of quassinoids in the bark, wood, and other vegetative tissues, conferring bitterness and serving as a synapomorphy for Simaroubaceae. Petroselinic acid occurs in seeds of certain genera, such as Picrasma, distinguishing them from others like Ailanthus.

Reproduction

Members of the Simaroubaceae family exhibit primarily entomophilous pollination, facilitated by small, actinomorphic, and often fragrant flowers that attract a variety of insects. Flowers are typically unisexual, resulting in dioecious, polygamo-dioecious, or hermaphroditic breeding systems across genera, with dioecy evolving independently at least five times in the family. For instance, in Ailanthus altissima, pollination is achieved by nectar- and pollen-feeding insects such as soldier beetles (Chauliognathus marginatus), ants (Formica spp., Prenolepis spp., Camponotus spp.), honeybees (Apis mellifera), bumblebees (Bombus spp.), and various flies, with male flowers producing higher nectar sugar concentrations (40.7%) than female flowers (35.3%). Anemophily occurs in select genera like Ailanthus and Leitneria, where reduced perianth and catkin-like inflorescences support wind pollination. Seed dispersal in Simaroubaceae varies by fruit morphology, with ancestral drupaceous fruits enabling animal-mediated dispersal through ingestion and subsequent deposition by vertebrates such as birds, bats, and monkeys. Laterally flattened or lenticular drupes predominate, though transitions to globose drupelets occur in genera like Homalolepis and Nothospondias, while samaroid fruits in Ailanthus and Soulamea facilitate wind dispersal. In Ailanthus altissima, female trees produce abundant winged samaras (up to 325,000 seeds annually per mature individual), which remain on branches through winter and disperse primarily by wind, traveling up to 111.6 meters in moderate breezes, a trait that enhances its invasive spread. Water and mechanical transport, such as along roadsides, also contribute to dispersal in this species. Simaroubaceae species are perennial woody trees or shrubs with life cycles adapted to tropical and subtropical environments, featuring seasonal flowering that aligns with local climatic cues. Flowering often occurs during dry seasons in Neotropical genera like Simarouba, from February to March in , or extends into wetter periods in regions without pronounced dry seasons, such as March to July in . In Ailanthus altissima, flowering happens in late spring (May–June), with fruits maturing by September–October and seeds requiring cold for dormancy breakage before in spring. leads to rapid juvenile growth, with seedlings establishing extensive root systems that enable via root sprouting, allowing persistence in disturbed habitats.

Taxonomy

Etymology and history

The family Simaroubaceae derives its name from the Simarouba, established by Christophore Fusée Aublet in his 1775 Histoire des plantes de la Guyane française, based on a indigenous term for the plant. The alternative common name "quassia family" originates from the Quassia, proposed by in 1762 to honor Graman Quassi, an enslaved African healer from who discovered the medicinal properties of the bitter wood of in during the 1730s. The family was formally delimited by in 1811 within the Nouveau Bulletin des Sciences par la Société Philomathique de , though earlier works by in 1789 had grouped related genera like Simarouba under broader orders such as Terebinthacearum. Subsequent taxonomic history involved segregations reflecting morphological variability, with synonyms such as Ailanthaceae (erected for Ailanthus species) and Quassiaceae indicating past treatments of subsets as independent families. In the 19th century, German botanist Adolf Engler significantly expanded the family's scope in his Das Pflanzenreich (1931), incorporating six subfamilies and around 30 genera based on features like carpel number, style morphology, and ovule position, while emphasizing its tropical woody habit and bitter principles. 20th-century revisions, including those by Arthur Cronquist, consolidated genera through synonymy and exclusions—reducing the count from over 50 proposed names in earlier broad circumscriptions to approximately 22 accepted today—via detailed anatomical and distributional analyses. These pre-molecular efforts laid the groundwork for modern phylogenetic updates confirming the family's core within .

Phylogenetic relationships

Simaroubaceae is a monophyletic within the order , as confirmed by molecular analyses using markers such as rbcL, atpB, and trnL-trnF, along with nuclear markers. Within , the forms part of the SRM (Simaroubaceae--), where it is positioned as to the combined and , a relationship supported by phylogenomic data from nuclear target capture sequences representing approximately 85% of Sapindales genera; this updates earlier views that placed it closer to Kirkiaceae or Nitrariaceae. The SRM itself is to the KAB (Kirkiaceae-Anacardiaceae-Burseraceae), highlighting the 's position in a group of Sapindales families with diverse tropical distributions. Internally, Simaroubaceae is resolved into three major based on combined and sequence data: the Castela clade (Si1, neotropical thorny shrubs); the Ailanthus-Picrasma clade (Si2, paleotropical, including genera such as Ailanthus and Eurycoma, notable for containing like the tree-of-heaven ()); and a grade of remaining genera (Si3, predominantly neotropical, encompassing Simarouba, Simaba, and others). These relationships, clarified through Bayesian and analyses as well as recent phylogenomics, indicate a pantropical diversification driven by long-distance dispersal rather than vicariance, with the clades reflecting biogeographic patterns across the , , , and . Evidence of hybridization and is documented in certain genera, particularly Ailanthus, where interspecific hybrids and triploid individuals have been identified using SSR markers, potentially enhancing adaptability and contributing to the invasiveness of species like A. altissima in non-native ranges. Such genomic changes may facilitate rapid evolution and establishment in disturbed habitats, underscoring 's role in the family's ecological success. The fossil record of Simaroubaceae is sparse, with most known fossils attributed to Ailanthus-like samaras from the and of , , and , but molecular clock dating calibrated with fossils suggests possible origins in the Mid-Cretaceous, around 100 million years ago, aligning with the diversification of core lineages during the hothouse conditions of that period. This limited paleontological evidence contrasts with the family's modern pantropical extent, emphasizing the importance of dispersal in its evolutionary history.

Distribution and habitat

Geographic distribution

Simaroubaceae is a family, with approximately 20 genera and 110 species distributed primarily across tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In the , the family is native to tropical , where genera such as Simarouba occur extensively in the , , and the . In and , representatives like Kirkia are found in southern and eastern tropical , extending to island hotspots. The tropics host species in and , including Ailanthus native to central and northern , , and adjacent areas. One exception to the tropical focus is Ailanthus altissima, which has naturalized beyond its native range and become invasive in temperate and . The primary center of diversity lies in the neotropics, accounting for over half of the family's species, with ten genera concentrated there and exhibiting disjunct distributions between the New and Old Worlds. is particularly high in , where the Perriera is restricted to the island, and in , with genera like Eurycoma showing strong regional specificity.

Ecological role

Species of the Simaroubaceae family predominantly occupy tropical and subtropical habitats, including lowland and montane rainforests, dry forests, savannas, and disturbed sites such as roadsides and urban areas. These plants are adapted to a range of conditions, from moist Neotropical lowlands to edaphically dry zones in the , where genera like Castela thrive. Many species favor early successional or disturbed environments, facilitating their role in recovery or, in some cases, further degradation. A notable example of ecological disruption within the family is , an aggressive that has naturalized across temperate and subtropical regions worldwide. This tree employs through quassinoid compounds, such as ailanthone, which inhibit seed germination, seedling growth, and microbial activity in surrounding soils, thereby suppressing native and altering community structures. Its rapid clonal growth and prolific seed production enable it to form dense thickets in urban edges, forest margins, and abandoned fields, displacing and reducing native plant recovery even after removal efforts. In native ecosystems, Simaroubaceae contribute positively to by supporting pollinators and dispersers. For instance, serves as a key source for in tropical forests, though nectar robbers can influence efficiency and set, highlighting complex interactions that shape . Similarly, Simarouba amara plays a vital role in forest dynamics through vertebrate-mediated by , , and even , promoting regeneration in lowland moist forests across the Neotropics. Endemic Simaroubaceae species face significant threats from due to in tropical regions, which disrupts dispersal networks and reduces population viability for shade-tolerant trees like those in the genus Simarouba. exacerbates these pressures by potentially shifting suitable habitats, with projections indicating range expansions for invasives like A. altissima while threatening narrow-endemic natives through altered and regimes.

Genera

Accepted genera

The Simaroubaceae family currently recognizes 22 genera encompassing approximately 120 species, predominantly trees and shrubs distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. These genera form a monophyletic group within the Sapindales order, with recent taxonomic revisions, including a 2021 account emphasizing American taxa, refining the classification based on morphological and molecular data. The accepted genera are: Ailanthus, Amaroria, Brucea, Castela, Eurycoma, Gymnostemon, Hannoa, Homalolepis, Iridosma, Leitneria, Nothospondias, Odyendea, Perriera, Picrasma, Picrolemma, Pierreodendron, Quassia, Samadera, Simaba, Simarouba, and Soulamea. Among these, Ailanthus comprises 3 species of tall trees (up to 30 m) native to tropical and subtropical extending to , known for their pinnate leaves and winged fruits; A. altissima (tree of heaven) is widely invasive outside its native range. Quassia includes 1 species (Q. amara) of neotropical shrubs or small trees (to 25 m), primarily in northern and , valued for their bitter wood used in . Simarouba consists of 6 of trees (to 40 m) endemic to the and other parts of tropical , featuring simple leaves and drupaceous fruits. Picrasma encompasses 12 species of trees or shrubs distributed in (from to ) and disjunctly in the ( to northern ), noted for their bitter principles and pinnate foliage.

Excluded genera

Several genera previously included in Simaroubaceae have been excluded based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, primarily due to their placement outside the core clade or lack of shared synapomorphies such as quassinoid compounds and specific floral structures like tetramerous flowers with a gynophore. For instance, the irvingioid genera , Desbordesia, and Allantospermum were transferred to the newly recognized family Irvingiaceae, as rbcL sequence data showed them aligning with rosid I lineages (e.g., Linales and Malphigiales) rather than the Simarouboideae , and they lack quassinoids typical of Simaroubaceae. Other notable exclusions include Alvaradoa and Picramnia, which form a distinct separated from Simaroubaceae and were erected as the family ; these genera exhibit unique pollen morphology and structures diverging from the family's monophyletic core, confirmed by and nuclear markers. Similarly, Harrisonia was removed to due to its close affinity to cneoroid Rutaceae, evidenced by shared rbcL sequences and floral features like valvate sepals, placing it outside the Simarouboideae. Kirkia was elevated to its own family, Kirkiaceae, within , as molecular data indicated it as sister to other Sapindales families but distinct from Simaroubaceae by lacking quassinoids and having alternate leaves. Prior to molecular studies in the , Simaroubaceae was broadly circumscribed to include up to 40 genera across six subfamilies, encompassing diverse tropical elements without clear phylogenetic coherence. Post-2007 analyses using multi-gene datasets (e.g., rbcL, atpB, matK, phyC) reduced the family to 22 genera by excluding approximately 10-15 taxa that formed independent lineages, emphasizing monophyly within and reliance on chemical and morphological traits like bitter quassinoids for delimitation. This revision highlights the artificial nature of earlier classifications and underscores the role of in refining family boundaries.

Uses

Medicinal uses

Plants in the Simaroubaceae family are valued for their bioactive compounds, particularly quassinoids, which exhibit antimalarial, anticancer, and properties. Quassin, isolated from , is a prototypical quassinoid known for its bitter taste and therapeutic potential, while other compounds like simarubins from various genera and ailanthone from Ailanthus species demonstrate cytotoxic effects against cancer cells and insecticidal activity. Traditional medicinal uses of Simaroubaceae span continents, with bark decoctions commonly employed in for treating fever, , and ; for instance, Simarouba species are used by groups to alleviate these conditions through oral preparations. In , Quassia has served as a bitter since the , aiding and acting as an , a practice introduced from and adopted in pharmacopeias for its stomachic effects. Modern pharmacological research has validated and expanded these applications, with numerous species screened for bioactivity revealing promising antimalarial and anticancer leads from quassinoids. Clinical and preclinical studies on Ailanthus extracts, particularly ailanthone, show efficacy against cell lines by inducing and inhibiting proliferation, though human trials remain limited. Toxicity warnings emphasize caution with high doses, as quassinoids can cause gastrointestinal irritation and potential reproductive effects in animal models. Specific examples highlight practical applications, such as Quassia chips used as a natural due to their antifeedant quassinoids, which disrupt without broad environmental harm. These findings underscore the family's potential in developing targeted therapies, balanced against safety considerations.

Other uses

Members of the Simaroubaceae family provide valuable timber resources, particularly in tropical regions. The wood of Simarouba amara is light, moderately strong, and attractively grained, making it suitable for manufacturing household furniture, boxes, and crates. Similarly, Simarouba glauca yields wood used in match , cores, veneers, wood chips, and general applications in . Species in the genus Ailanthus, such as A. excelsa, produce easily worked but perishable timber employed for boxes, crates, poles, fishing floats, and tool handles. wood serves as low-grade and fuelwood, with its ring-porous structure featuring wide, yellowish-white sapwood valued in native ranges for and . Certain Simaroubaceae species have been utilized in ornamental horticulture, though some have become problematic due to invasiveness. Ailanthus altissima was historically planted as a street tree and ornamental in urban landscapes for its rapid growth and tolerance to pollution, but it is now widely managed as an invasive species in North America and Europe to prevent ecosystem disruption. Extracts from Simaroubaceae plants show promise as natural pesticides, offering alternatives to synthetic chemicals for pest management. Bark essential oil of Ailanthus altissima exhibits high insecticidal activity, achieving 99.3% mortality against the sawtoothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) and 81.9% against the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) within 24 hours, while also repelling booklice (Liposcelis paeta) and causing 100% mortality in cigarette beetles (Lasioderma serricorne) at low concentrations. Quassinoids from this species, such as ailanthone, act as antifeedants against aphids (Acyrtosiphon pisum), and methanol extracts induce malformations and mortality in black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) larvae. Quassia amara extracts, rich in alkaloids like harmine, demonstrate potent biopesticidal effects, with LC50 values of 4.3 ppm against cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora) and 79.1 ppm against two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae), achieving up to 96% mortality in field trials against aphids and mites. Leaf and bark extracts of Simarouba glauca provide insecticidal control against the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), with ethyl acetate bark extracts showing LC50 of 4.80% and up to 56.1% mortality at 72 hours, alongside antifeedant effects reducing feeding by 52.3% in seed oils. Economically, Quassia wood from is harvested and traded internationally for the production of bitter extracts used in commercial formulations, including natural insecticides. Fast-growing species like and hold potential for biofuel applications, with their seed oils serving as feedstocks for biodiesel production through transesterification processes.

References

  1. [1]
  2. [2]
    Simaroubaceae - Jepson Herbarium
    Simaroubaceae, or Quassia family, has shrubs/trees with bitter bark, simple or compound leaves, and 22 genera with 100 species. Bark and leaves were used to ...
  3. [3]
    Simaroubaceae family: botany, chemical composition and biological ...
    The main distribution hot spots are located at tropical areas of America, extending to Africa, Madagascar and regions of Australia bathed by the Pacific.
  4. [4]
    Simaroubaceae DC. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    Simaroubaceae is a family of plants, first published in 1811, with 20 accepted genera, belonging to the Kingdom Plantae, Phylum Streptophyta, Class ...
  5. [5]
  6. [6]
    [PDF] Pollination Biology of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Tree-of ...
    May 6, 2008 · The fruits are usually retained on the trees through the winter but can be dispersed starting as early as October. Ailanthus produces the most.
  7. [7]
    Ailanthus altissima - Forest Service - USDA
    Tree-of-heaven and white ash had the longest seed dispersal distances of the 10 trees, but most tree-of-heaven seeds fell within 20 feet (5 m) of the parent ...BOTANICAL AND... · FIRE EFFECTS AND... · MANAGEMENT...
  8. [8]
    Spatial genetic structure of Simarouba amara Aubl. (Simaroubaceae ...
    The relatively weak genetic structure of S. amara, in comparison to other recent studies, may be explained by pollen and seed dispersal over the 50 ha plot, ...
  9. [9]
    Simarouba | International Plant Names Index
    Simarouba Aubl. , Hist. Pl. Guiane 859 (1775), nom. cons. BHL · Contact us ... Remarks. Etymology: “Nomen Caribaeum simarouba”. Full Record · How to cite us ...
  10. [10]
    Quassia Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary
    Origin of Quassia. New Latin after Gramman Quassi (“Great Man” Kwasi), an 18th-century Guinean who, after being enslaved and transported to Suriname, ...Missing: etymology | Show results with:etymology
  11. [11]
    Molecular Phylogeny of the Tree‐of‐Heaven Family ...
    Introduction. Simaroubaceae s.s. are a small yet morphologically diverse angiosperm family of tropical and temperate trees and shrubs in the Sapindales.<|control11|><|separator|>
  12. [12]
    Phylogenomic analyses of Sapindales support new family ... - Frontiers
    Mar 6, 2023 · Molecular phylogenetics and molecular clock dating of sapindales based on plastid rbcL, atpB and trnL-trnF DNA sequences. Taxon 65, 1019 ...
  13. [13]
    Recent Long-Distance Dispersal Overshadows Ancient ...
    The goals of this study were to 1) reconstruct divergence dates within Simaroubaceae using recently developed molecular rates analyses and fossil calibration; ...
  14. [14]
    First report of triploidy in Ailanthus altissima, an invasive tree species
    Aug 6, 2025 · Ailanthus altissima is a woody plant that has become invasively naturalized in many countries. Using nuclear SSR markers, ...Missing: invasiveness | Show results with:invasiveness
  15. [15]
    more the better? The role of polyploidy in facilitating plant invasions
    Polyploidy can be an important factor in species invasion success through a combination of (1) 'pre-adaptation', whereby polyploid lineages are predisposed to ...
  16. [16]
    Phytogeography and Fossil History of Ailanthus (Simaroubaceae)
    Morphology of Extant Representatives. We studied the fruit and foliage morphology of the five extant species of Ailanthus: Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle ...
  17. [17]
    Simarouba glauca DC. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    General information. Distribution; Synonyms; Classification; Publications; Other data. Distribution. KBD. + −. ⇧. i. Native. Native to: Bahamas, Belize, Costa ...
  18. [18]
    Kirkia acuminata Oliv. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    Distribution; Synonyms; Classification; Publications; Other data. Distribution. KBD. + −. ⇧. i. Native. Native to: Angola, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, DR Congo ...
  19. [19]
    (PDF) An updated account of Simaroubaceae with emphasis on ...
    Aug 20, 2021 · Currently, Simaroubaceae sensu stricto are a mostly pantropical, highly supported monophyletic group composed of 22 genera and approximately 120 ...
  20. [20]
    [PDF] THE AMERICAN GENERA OF SIMAROUBACEAE AND THEIR ...
    Most species are dioecious trees or shrubs with alternate compound leaves, five-parted flowers and drupaceous fruits. The Simaroubaceae have c10se affinities ...
  21. [21]
    Testing the monophyly of Simaba (Simaroubaceae): Evidence from ...
    List of morphological characters and their character state coding used for the ancestral state reconstruction. 1. Habit: trees (0); palmlike treelets (1); ...
  22. [22]
    (PDF) Simaroubaceae family: Botany, chemical composition and ...
    Aug 6, 2025 · The Simaroubaceae family includes 32 genera and more than 170 species of trees and brushes of pantropical distribution.<|control11|><|separator|>
  23. [23]
    Simaroubaceae - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
    The small flowers (≤9 mm) are bisexual with a pentamerous calyx; pollen is tricolpate with longitudinal striations on the surface. Seeds possess a small wing.
  24. [24]
    Castela (Simaroubaceae), an impressive New World radiation of ...
    Aug 14, 2021 · Castela Turpin is composed of 16 known species and is found throughout edaphically dry zones across the American continents.
  25. [25]
    Identification of early quassinoid biosynthesis in the invasive tree of ...
    The tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima (MILL.) SWINGLE, is a globally invasive plant known to secrete allelopathic metabolites called quassinoids.Missing: invasiveness | Show results with:invasiveness
  26. [26]
    The Invasive Ailanthus altissima: A Biology, Ecology, and Control ...
    Mar 23, 2024 · Seeds are mainly dispersed by wind [9], but they can remain in the canopy throughout the winter [5]. The species has a root system with high ...
  27. [27]
    Roles of nectar robbers in reproduction of the tropical treelet ...
    Different subsets of mainland nectarivores visited Quassia amara (Simaroubaceae), a self-compatible, predominately bird-pollinated treelet, at three island.
  28. [28]
    Spatial genetic structure of Simarouba amara Aubl. (Simaroubaceae ...
    Aug 10, 2005 · If seed dispersal and pollen movement is limited, our prediction is increased genetic relatedness among individuals in close proximity. However, ...
  29. [29]
    Simarouba versicolor (Simaroubaceae) Dispersal by the Leaf-Cutter ...
    Jul 9, 2018 · Secondary dispersal by ants promotes forest regeneration after deforestation. Journal of Ecology, 102: 659-66. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12226.
  30. [30]
    The prognosis for Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae; tree of ...
    Large parts of Africa are potentially invasible by this species. •. Seven regions in South Africa were identified as high risk areas for future invasion.
  31. [31]
    Ailanthus Desf. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    The native range of this genus is Tropical & Subtropical Asia to N. Australia.
  32. [32]
    Quassia L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    Quassia L. ... The native range of this genus is Tropical & Subtropical America. It grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.
  33. [33]
    Simarouba Aubl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    Simaroubaceae. Simarouba Aubl. First published in Hist. Pl. Guiane: 859 (1775), nom. cons. This genus is accepted. The native range of this genus is Tropical ...
  34. [34]
    Kirkia Oliv. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
    Native to: Angola, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, DR Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Northern Provinces, Somalia, ...
  35. [35]
    Kew Science - Picrasma | Plants of the World Online
    About POWO · About WCVP · What we do · Compilers and Reviewers. About. Back; About ... Picrasma ailanthoides var. dasycarpa Kitag. Synonym of: Picrasma ...
  36. [36]
  37. [37]
    An updated account of Simaroubaceae with emphasis on American ...
    Aug 19, 2021 · An updated account of Simaroubaceae with emphasis on American taxa ... Download PDF · Brazilian Journal of Botany Aims and scope Submit ...Missing: PDF | Show results with:PDF
  38. [38]
    An Exploration of Phytochemicals from Simaroubaceae - PMC
    Plants from this family are used as medicine to cure cancer and many other diseases. Isolation of diverse chemical compounds from Simaroubaceae on its stem bark ...
  39. [39]
    Quassinoids: From traditional drugs to new cancer therapeutics
    Quassinoids are compounds from plants used in folk medicine, with anti-leukemic activity and anti-proliferative effects on tumor cells.Missing: medicinal | Show results with:medicinal
  40. [40]
    The Anticancer Potential of Quassinoids—A Mini-Review
    This article provides an overview of the potential anticancer properties of quassinoids, including their cytotoxic and antitumor activities, mechanisms of ...
  41. [41]
  42. [42]
    [PDF] Quassia amara L.: A Comprehensive Review of its Ethnomedicinal ...
    Quassia amara, or 'bitter-wood', is a shrub with anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-malarial properties. It's used for digestive, malaria, and hepatic ...
  43. [43]
    [PDF] deciphering the history and cultural biogeography of Quassia amara L
    America during the early 18th century due to political and economic reasons. ... The content is drunk as a bitter tonic, stomachic or remedy against fevers.
  44. [44]
    Ailanthone: A novel potential drug for treating human cancer (Review)
    Jun 9, 2020 · Ailanthone (AIL) is a quassinoid extract from the traditional Chinese medicine plant Ailanthus altissima, which is known to have anti‐inflammatory and ...
  45. [45]
    Anticancer properties and mechanism of action of the quassinoid ...
    Apr 1, 2020 · Ailanthone (AIT) is an anticancer quassinoid isolated from Ailanthus altissima. It inhibits proliferation and induces cell death of many cancer cell types.Missing: clinical trials leukemia
  46. [46]
    Quassia - Uses, Side Effects, and More - WebMD
    But quassia is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth as medicine. It can cause side effects such as irritation of the mouth, throat, and digestive tract along ...
  47. [47]
    Quassia Uses, Benefits & Dosage - Drugs.com
    Dec 11, 2024 · Quassia has been used as an insecticide. Traditional use includes remedies for infestations of lice or worms, anorexia, and dyspepsia.
  48. [48]
    Quassia amara - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
    Quassia wood (Quassia amara, Simaroubaceae) from north-eastern South America was for a century the source of a natural insecticide Surinam quassia.
  49. [49]
    [PDF] (Simarouba amara Aubl.)
    The principal species, Simarouba amara, occurs in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru northward to. British Honduras in Central America and Antigua in the West Indies (1) ...
  50. [50]
    [PDF] Simaruba glauca Simaroubaceae DC.
    Birds relish the ripe drupes and play an important role in seed dispersal. Other fauna that feed on the fruit also help in dispersal, including a lizard species ...<|separator|>
  51. [51]
    [PDF] Ailanthus excelsa Simaroubaceae Roxb.
    Timber: The wood is easily worked but is perishable and subject to insect attack and stain. It is used in boxes, crates, poles, fishing floats, tool handles ...
  52. [52]
    Ailanthus altissima - GISD
    Nov 28, 2005 · Uses. The wood is often used in China for lumber, fuelwood and other products. In the U.S. it is occasionally used for low-grade lumber ...Missing: timber | Show results with:timber
  53. [53]
    Ailanthus | Silvics of North America
    Jan 15, 2025 · Ailanthus is used for timber in its native range (Hu, 1979). Its wood is ring porous with wide, attractive white or yellowish white sapwood ...
  54. [54]
    Tree-of-Heaven | National Invasive Species Information Center
    Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven) is a rapidly growing invasive tree species introduced to the United States nearly 200 years ago. Today, this species is a ...
  55. [55]
    Assessment of the Potential of the Invasive Arboreal Plant Ailanthus ...
    The aim of this review study is to summarize the potential of this plant for use as a natural pesticide, starting with ethnobotanical information.
  56. [56]
    Quassia amara Linn. (Simaroubaceae): phytochemical composition ...
    May 3, 2025 · The most toxic alkaloid fraction and harmine compound were formulated and tested against both pests under field conditions using the LC90 ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  57. [57]
  58. [58]
    Quassia amara; strong man of the tropical forest - United Plant Savers
    Jul 17, 2020 · Quassia amara is the source of bitter-tasting compounds and is used currently in commercial products as a vermifuge and as an insecticide. Among ...
  59. [59]
    Impact of Simarouba glauca biodiesel blends as a fuel on the ...
    Among the wide variety of non-edible oil sources, Simarouba glauca is a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. Simarouba belongs to the family ...
  60. [60]
    Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) seed oil - ScienceDirect.com
    May 15, 2018 · The non-edible oil from Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) seeds has potential as a novel feedstock for biodiesel production in Iran.