''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock fo ...

family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. It was formerly assigned to the tribe

Dalbergieae The tribe Dalbergieae is an early-branching clade within the flowering plant subfamily Faboideae (or Papilionaceae). Within that subfamily, it belongs to an unranked clade called the dalbergioids. It was recently revised to include many gener ...

, but recent

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

evidence has placed it in a unique clade named the ''Andira'' clade. Compared to other

Faboideae The Faboideae are a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae, or Papilionaceae when this group of plants is treated as a family. This subfamily is widely ...

the genus has unusual systems of

root nodule Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria know ...

s and fruits, which are

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kerne ...

s. In most species the fruits are dispersed by bats, and in some they are dispersed by

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are roden ...

s. They may also be dispersed on water. Plants of the genus are used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before th ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

to treat

fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...

and as

purgatives Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lub ...

and vermifuges. The treatments are toxic in high doses, however. Chemical compounds isolated from the genus include

isoflavones Isoflavones are substituted derivatives of isoflavone, a type of naturally occurring isoflavonoids, many of which act as phytoestrogens in mammals. Isoflavones are produced almost exclusively by the members of the bean family, Fabaceae (Leguminosa ...

flavanols Flavan-3-ols (sometimes referred to as flavanols) are a subgroup of flavonoids. They are derivatives of flavans that possess a 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2''H''-chromen-3-ol skeleton. Flavan-3-ols are structurally diverse and include a range of compo ...

glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycoside ...

pterocarpan Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes (i.e. 6''H''- enzofuro,2-chromene skeleton) which can be formed by coupling of the B rin ...

chromone Chromone (or 1,4-benzopyrone) is a derivative of benzopyran with a substituted keto group on the pyran ring. It is an isomer of coumarin. Derivatives of chromone are collectively known as ''chromones''. Most, though not all, chromones are also ...

, and

ursolic acid Ursolic acid (sometimes referred to as urson, prunol, malol, or 3β-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid), is a pentacyclic triterpenoid identified in the epicuticular waxes of apples as early as 1920 and widely found in the peels of fruits, as well ...

Species

''Andira'' comprises the following species: * ''

Andira acuminata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira anthelmia ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' (Vell.) J.F. Macbr. * ''

Andira bahiensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira carvalhoi ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' R.T. Penn. & H.C. Lima * ''

Andira cordata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' R.T. Penn. & H.C. Lima * ''

Andira coriacea ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Pulle—St. Martin rouge * ''

Andira cubensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira cuiabensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira fraxinifolia ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira frondosa ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' C. Mart. * ''

Andira galeottiana ''Andira galeottiana'' is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in the Mexican states of Chiapas Chiapas (; Tzotzil language, Tzotzil and Tzeltal language, Tzeltal: ''Chyapas'' ), officially the Free and Sovereign State ...

'' Standl. * ''

Andira grandistipula ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Amshoff * ''

Andira handroana ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira humilis ''Andira humilis'' (syn. ''Andira laurifolia'' Benth., ''Andira laurifolia'' Benth. var. ''laurifolia'', ''Andira pauciflora'' Benth., ''Andira paucuflora'' Benth.) is a tree native from Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federa ...

'' Mart. ex Benth. * ''

Andira inermis ''Andira inermis'' is a nitrogen-fixing tree native to the area from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America (Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil); it has been introduced to the Caribbean, the Antilles, Florida, and Africa. The ...

'' (Wright) DC.—angelin, cabbagebark, cabbagetree ** subsp. ''glabricalyx'' R. T. Penn. ** subsp. ''inermis'' (Wright) DC. ** subsp. ''rooseveltii'' (De Wild.) J. B. Gillett ex Polhill * ''

Andira kuhlmannii ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira landroana ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira legalis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' (Vell.) Toledo * ''

Andira macrothyrsa ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira marauensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira micans ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Taub. * ''

Andira micrantha ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira multistipula ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira nitida ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira ormosioides ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira paniculata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira parviflora ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira parvifolia ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira pernambucensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira pisonis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth.Some sources treat ''Andira pisonis'' as a synonym of ''Andira fraxinifolia''. * ''

Andira riparia ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Kunth * ''

Andira rosea ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Benth. * '' Andira sapindoides'' (DC.) Benth. * ''

Andira skolemora ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' H. Kost. * ''

Andira spectabilis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Saldanha * ''

Andira spinulosa ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira surinamensis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' (Bondt) Pulle * ''

Andira trifoliolata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropics, tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent m ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira unifoliolata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Ducke * ''

Andira vermifuga ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Benth. * ''

Andira villosa ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Kleinhoonte * ''

Andira zehntneri ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Harms

''Nomina Dubia''

The following species are of uncertain validity: * ''Andira araroba (Aguiar.)'' See

Araroba powder Araroba powder, also known as Bahia powder and Goa powder, is a drug occurring in the form of a yellowish-brown powder, varying considerably in tint, from the Portuguese colony of Goa, where it appears to have been introduced about the year 1852. ...

Mrs. M. Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
* ''Andira chigorodensis'' R.T.Penn. * ''Andira chiricana'' Pittier * ''Andira harfieldii'' Leschenault de la Tour * ''Andira jaliscensis'' R.T. Penn. * ''Andira macrocarpa'' R.T.Penn. * ''Andira microcarpa'' Griseb. * ''Andira oblonga'' Benth. * ''Andira praecox'' Arroyo ex R.T. Penn. * ''Andira taurotesticulata'' R.T. Penn. * ''Andira tervequinata'' R.T. Penn., G.A. Aymard & Cuello Andira fraxinifolia

Flickr - João de Deus Medeiros - Andira vermifuga

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2576870 Faboideae Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Fabaceae genera