''Amyris'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. ''Citrus'' is nativ ...

family,

Rutaceae The Rutaceae () is a family (biology), family, commonly known as the rueRUTACEAE
in Bo ...

. The generic name is derived from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the

resin A resin is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin, but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds, predominantly terpenes. Commo ...

. Members of the genus are commonly known as torchwoods because of their highly flammable wood.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepted the following species: *''

Amyris abeggii ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Ekman ex Urb. *'' Amyris amazonica'' Cornejo & Kallunki *'' Amyris apiculata'' Urb. & Ekman *'' Amyris attenuata'' Standl. *'' Amyris balsamifera'' L. – balsam torchwood *'' Amyris barbata'' Lundell *'' Amyris brachybotrys'' Turcz. *''

Amyris brenesii ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Standl. *''

Amyris carterae ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Rebman & F.Chiang *'' Amyris centinelensis'' Cornejo *'' Amyris chiapensis'' Lundell *'' Amyris conzattii'' Standl. *''

Amyris cordata ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' I.M.Johnst. *''

Amyris crebrinervis ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Gereau *''

Amyris cubensis ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' (Borhidi & Acuña) Beurton *''

Amyris diatrypa ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Spreng. – hairy torchwood *''

Amyris elemifera ''Amyris elemifera'' is an evergrespecies of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae. Its common names include sea torchwood, smooth torchwood,Amyris filipes ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Lundell *''

Amyris granulata ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Urb. *''

Amyris guatemalensis ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Lundell *''

Amyris guianensis ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Aubl. *''

Amyris humboldtii ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Krug & Urb. *''

Amyris ignea ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

'' Steyerm. *'' Amyris intermedia'' Urb. & Ekman *'' Amyris jorgemeavei'' Hern.-Barón, Espejo, Pérez-García, Cerros & López-Ferr. *'' Amyris karlitae'' W.Palacios *'' Amyris lineata'' C.Wright ex Griseb. *'' Amyris lurida'' Lundell *'' Amyris macrocarpa'' Gereau *'' Amyris madrensis'' S.Watson – mountain torchwood *'' Amyris magnifolia'' Gómez-Laur. & Q.Jiménez *'' Amyris marshii'' Standl. *'' Amyris metopioides'' Zanoni & M.M.Mejía *'' Amyris mexicana'' Lundell *'' Amyris monophylla'' Brandegee *'' Amyris multijuga'' Turcz. *'' Amyris oblanceolata'' A.Pool *'' Amyris pernambucensis'' Arruda *'' Amyris phlebotaenioides'' Urb. & Ekman *'' Amyris pinnata'' Kunth *'' Amyris plumieri'' DC. *'' Amyris polymorpha'' Urb. *'' Amyris polyneura'' Urb. *'' Amyris pungens'' Urb. *'' Amyris purpusii'' P.Wilson *'' Amyris rekoi'' S.F.Blake *'' Amyris rhomboidea'' Standl. *'' Amyris robinsonii'' DC. *'' Amyris roseomaculata'' Hern.-Barón, Cerros, M.González, Espejo & López-Ferr. *'' Amyris sandemanii'' Sandwith *''

Amyris staminosa ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek language, Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus ...

'' Lundell *'' Amyris stromatophylla'' P.Wilson *'' Amyris terebinthifolia'' Ten. *'' Amyris texana'' (Buckley) P.Wilson – Texas torchwood, chapotillo *'' Amyris thyrsiflora'' Turcz. *'' Amyris trimera'' Krug & Urb. *'' Amyris vestita'' Lundell

Formerly placed here

* '' Atalantia simplicifolia'' (Roxb.) Engl. (as ''A. simplicifolia'' Roxb.) * ''

Boswellia papyrifera ''Boswellia papyrifera'', also known as the Sudanese frankincense, is a species of flowering plant and frankincense that is native to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. The tree is cultivated in Ethiopia because of its valuable resin. The incense is c ...

'' (Delile ex Caill.) Hochst. (as ''A. papyrifera'' Delile ex Caill.) * '' Bursera excelsa'' (as ''A. elegans'') * '' Canarium zeylanicum'' (Retz.) Blume (as ''A. zeylanica'' Retz.) * ''

Clausena anisata :''Should not be confused with syzygium anisatum, a tree native to eastern Australian rainforests, used as a culinary herb.'' ''Clausena anisata'' ( Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. is a deciduous shrub or small tree, belonging to the Rutaceae or Cit ...

'' (Willd.) Hook.f. (as ''A. anisata'' Willd. or ''A. dentata'' Willd.) * '' Clausena heptaphylla'' (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn. ex Steud. (as ''A. heptaphylla'' Roxb. ex DC.) * ''

Commiphora gileadensis ''Commiphora gileadensis'', the Arabian balsam tree, is a shrub species in the genus ''Commiphora'' growing in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, southern Oman, Sudan and in southeast Egypt where it may have been introduced. Other common names for the plant inc ...

'' (L.) C.Chr. (as ''A. gileadensis'' L. or ''A. opobalsamum'' L.) * ''

Commiphora kataf ''Commiphora kataf'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Burseraceae, native to northeastern and eastern tropical Africa, and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. A relative of myrrh Myrrh (; from an unidentified ancient Semitic l ...

'' (Forssk.) Engl. (as ''A. kataf'' Forssk.) * ''

Metopium toxiferum ''Metopium toxiferum'', the poisonwood, Florida poisontree, coral sumac, or hog gum, is a species of flowering tree in the cashew or sumac family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to the American Neotropics. It produces the irritant urushiol muc ...

'' (L.) Krug & Urb. (as ''A. toxifera'' L.) * ''

Schinus polygama ''Schinus polygama'', the Hardee peppertree or Chilean pepper tree, is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae native to Argentina and Chile and naturalized in California. Taxonomy The species name has been spelled ''Schinus polygamus'', ...

'' (Cav.) Cabrera (as ''A. polygama'' Cav.)

Uses

The trunks of ''Amyris'' species exude

elemi ''Canarium luzonicum'', commonly known as elemi, is a tree native to the Philippines. The oleoresin harvested from it is also known as elemi resin. Synonyms * ''Canarium carapifolium'' G.Perkins * ''Canarium oliganthum'' Merr. * ''Canarium po ...

, a type of balsam (

oleoresin Oleoresins are semi-solid extracts composed of resin and essential or fatty oil, obtained by evaporation of the solvents used for their production. The oleoresin of conifers is known as crude turpentine or gum turpentine, which consists of oil o ...

) that contains elemic acids, liquid

sesquiterpene Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many combinations. Biochemical modifications s ...

s, and

triterpene Triterpenes are a class of terpenes composed of six isoprene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of three terpene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squalene, the pre ...

s such as α- and β-amyrin among other components. It is used medicinally and in

lacquer Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity. Asian lacquerware, which may be c ...

s. The wood is often used for

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...

es and

firewood Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not heavily processed, and is in some sort of firelog, recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellet fuel, pellets. ...

. Its high

content causes it to burn brightly, and it will burn well even when green. In addition, the wood is hard, heavy, close- grained, can take a high polish, and repels dry wood

termite Termites are a group of detritivore, detritophagous Eusociality, eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of Detritus, decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, Plant litter, leaf litter, and Humus, soil humus. They are dist ...

Essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the ...

s containing

caryophyllene Caryophyllene (), more formally (−)-β-caryophyllene (BCP), is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that occurs widely in nature. Caryophyllene is notable for having a cyclobutane ring, as well as a ''trans''-double bond in a 9-membered ring, both ...

cadinene Cadinenes are a group of isomeric hydrocarbons that occur in a wide variety of essential oil-producing plants. The name is derived from that of the Cade juniper (''Juniperus oxycedrus'' L.), the wood of which yields an oil from which cadinene is ...

, and cadinol are extracted from '' A. balsamifera'' and '' A. elemifera''. These are used in

varnish Varnish is a clear Transparency (optics), transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not to be confused with wood stain. It usually has a yellowish shade due to the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmente ...

es,

perfume Perfume (, ) is a mixture of fragrance, fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), Fixative (perfumery), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agre ...

s, medicines,

cosmetics Cosmetics are substances that are intended for application to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance. They are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either Natural product, natural source ...

soap Soap is a salt (chemistry), salt of a fatty acid (sometimes other carboxylic acids) used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications. In a domestic setting, soaps, specifically "toilet soaps", are surfactants usually u ...

s, and

incense Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...

. Chemical compounds known as chromenylated amides isolated from ''Amyris plumieri'' have shown some inhibition of the

cytochrome P450 Cytochromes P450 (P450s or CYPs) are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor that mostly, but not exclusively, function as monooxygenases. However, they are not omnipresent; for examp ...

enzymes.

References

Rutaceae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Rutaceae-stub