''Aglaia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of 117 species
of woody
dioecious
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...
trees belonging to the Mahogany family (
Meliaceae
Meliaceae, 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 synca ...
). These
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s occur in the
subtropical and
tropical forest
Tropical forests (a.k.a. jungle) are forested landscapes in tropical regions: ''i.e.'' land areas approximately bounded by the tropic of Cancer and Capricorn, but possibly affected by other factors such as prevailing winds.
Some tropical fo ...
s of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are important timber trees; others have scented flowers, or medicinal properties (the edible fruits
duku
''Lansium parasiticum'', commonly known as langsat (), lanzones (), or longkong in English; duku in Indonesian or dokong in Terengganu Malay, is a species of tree in the Mahogany family with commercially cultivated edible fruits. The species ...
or
langsat
''Lansium parasiticum'', commonly known as langsat (), lanzones (), or longkong in English; duku in Indonesian or dokong in Terengganu Malay, is a species of tree in the Mahogany family with commercially cultivated edible fruits. The species ...
have now been placed in the genus ''
Lansium''). Many have complex biological relationships with their dispersal agents.
Phytochemistry
Species in the genus ''Aglaia'' synthesize a unique class of highly bioactive chemical compounds known as
flavagline
Flavaglines are a family of natural products that are found in plants of the genus ''Aglaia'' ( Meliaceae). These compounds are characterized by a cyclopenta 'b'' enzofuran skeleton. In 1982 King and colleagues discovered the first member of this f ...
s. Over 50 unique compounds of this class have been described so far, including
rocaglamide
Rocaglamide is a natural product which belongs to a class of molecules called flavaglines. This compound was isolated in 1982 by King, Ming-Lu (金明儒) and colleagues based on its antileukemic activity. The name of Rocaglamide is named from tw ...
,
aglafoline,
silvestrol
Silvestrol is a natural product from the flavagline family, with a cyclopenta enzofuran core structure and an unusual dioxane ether side chain, which is found in the bark of trees from the genus ''Aglaia'', especially ''Aglaia silvestris'' and '' ...
,
pannellin,
episilvestrol, and
ponapensin.
They are known for their
anti-cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal ble ...
,
anti-fungal,
anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as ...
and
insecticidal
Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed t ...
properties. Several of these compounds have been shown to be exceptional therapeutic agents for cancer chemotherapy, however further research is needed to develop medicines.
Species
Due to considerable morphological variation, this genus presents numerous taxonomic problems, with the number of accepted species varying from 117
to over 390 depending on the species concept used.
*''
Aglaia abbreviata
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (China)
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Aglaia acariaeantha
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia acida
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Java)
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Aglaia acminatissima
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Malaysia)
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Aglaia acuminata
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia affinis
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia agglomerata
''Aglaia agglomerata'' is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Pa ...
'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia agusanensis
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia aherniana
''Aglaia aherniana'' is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bi ...
'': (Philippines)
*''
Aglaia allocotantha
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia alternifoliola
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia amplexicaulis''
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Aglaia andamanica
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Andaman islands)
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Aglaia angustifolia'': (Sumatra)
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Aglaia annamensis
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (SE Asia)
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Aglaia antonii
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia apiocarpa'': (Sri Lanka)
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Aglaia apoana
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia araeantha
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (New Guinea)
*''
Aglaia archboldiana
''Aglaia archboldiana'' is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is endemic to Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of ...
''
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Aglaia argentea'': (Java)
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Aglaia aspera'': (Java)
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Aglaia attenuata
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (China)
*''
Aglaia australiensis'': (Queensland)
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Aglaia axillaris
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
''
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Aglaia badia'': (Philippines)
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Aglaia bamleri'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia banahaensis
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Philippines)
*''
Aglaia baramensis
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Borneo)
*''
Aglaia barbanthera'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia barbatula
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Java)
*''
Aglaia barberi
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (India)
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Aglaia basiphylla'': (Fiji)
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Aglaia batjanica
''Aglaia'' is a genus of 117 species of woody dioecious trees belonging to the Mahogany family ( Meliaceae). These trees occur in the subtropical and tropical forests of Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific.
Some species are impor ...
'': (Malaysia)
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Aglaia bauerleni'': (New Guinea)
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Aglaia beccarii'': (Borneo)
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Aglaia bergmanni'': (Pacific)
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