44-505: Swietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae . It occurs natively in the Neotropics , from southern Florida , the Caribbean , Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia . The genus is named for Dutch-Austrian physician Gerard van Swieten (1700–1772). The wood of Swietenia trees is known as mahogany . The genus was introduced into several Asian countries as
88-399: A behavior known as " marcescence " whereby dead leaves are not shed in the fall and remain on the tree until being blown off by the weather. This is caused by incomplete development of the abscission layer. It is mainly seen in the seedling and sapling stage, although mature trees may have marcescence of leaves on the lower branches. A number of deciduous plants remove nitrogen and carbon from
132-546: A different genus. Some hummingbirds like the sapphire-spangled emerald ( Amazilia lactea ), glittering-bellied emerald ( Chlorostilbon lucidus ) and planalto hermit ( Phaethornis pretrei ) have been recorded as feeding on and pollinating the flowers; these only take it opportunistically. Bees and butterflies do not use the flower (or the nectar) so it serves no pollinator benefit in the US. Pests such as cape lilac tree caterpillars, Leptocneria reducta , can severely defoliate
176-602: A greater rate of transpiration (and hence CO 2 uptake as this occurs when stomata are open) during the summer growth period. The deciduous characteristic has developed repeatedly among woody plants. Trees include maple , many oaks and nothofagus , elm , beech , aspen , and birch , among others, as well as a number of coniferous genera , such as larch and Metasequoia . Deciduous shrubs include honeysuckle , viburnum , and many others. Most temperate woody vines are also deciduous, including grapes , poison ivy , Virginia creeper , wisteria , etc. The characteristic
220-619: A replacement source of mahogany timber around the time it was restricted in its native locations in the late 1990s. Trade in Asian grown plantation mahogany is not restricted. Fiji and India are the largest exporters of plantation mahogany and wild mahogany remains commercially unavailable to this day. It is usually taken to consist of three species, geographically separated. They are medium-sized to large trees growing to 20–45 m tall, and up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) trunk diameter. The leaves are 10–30 cm long, pinnate, with 3-6 pairs of leaflets,
264-598: Is a deciduous woody shrub found in Japan . Forests where a majority of the trees lose their foliage at the end of the typical growing season are called deciduous forests. These forests are found in many areas worldwide and have distinctive ecosystems, understory growth, and soil dynamics. Two distinctive types of deciduous forests are found growing around the world. Temperate deciduous forest biomes are plant communities distributed in North and South America, Asia, Southern slopes of
308-700: Is completed (marked by the transition from bright green spring leaves to dark green summer ones) the chlorophyll level in the leaves remains stable until cool temperatures arrive in autumn. When autumn arrives and the days are shorter or when plants are drought-stressed, the chlorophyll steadily breaks down, allowing other pigments present in the leaf to become apparent and resulting in non-green colored foliage. The brightest leaf colors are produced when days grow short and nights are cool, but remain above freezing. These other pigments include carotenoids that are yellow, brown, and orange. Anthocyanin pigments produce red and purple colors, though they are not always present in
352-608: Is derived from μελία ( melía ), the Greek word used by Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 287 BC) for Fraxinus ornus , which has similar leaves . The species azedarach is from the French 'azédarac' which in turn is from the Persian 'āzād dirakht' (ازادرخت ) meaning 'free- or noble tree'. Melia azedarach should not be confused with the Azadirachta trees, which are in the same family, but
396-600: Is famed as the supplier of mahogany , at first yielded by Swietenia mahagoni , a Caribbean species, which was so extensively used locally and exported that its trade ended by the 1950s. These days almost all mahogany is yielded by the mainland species, Swietenia macrophylla , although no longer from its native locations due to the restrictions set by CITES (see following.) As a timber, both Swietenia macrophylla and Swietenia mahogoni are both grown in plantations in several Asian countries such as Fiji , Indonesia , India , and Bangladesh and this plantation mahogany timber
440-400: Is formed between the leaf petiole and the stem. This layer is formed in the spring during active new growth of the leaf; it consists of layers of cells that can separate from each other. The cells are sensitive to a plant hormone called auxin that is produced by the leaf and other parts of the plant. When auxin coming from the leaf is produced at a rate consistent with that from the body of
484-488: Is from the same family as Swietenia . All species of Swietenia are CITES -listed. Swietenia timber that crosses a border needs its paperwork in order. International environmental organizations such as Greenpeace , Friends of the Earth , and Rainforest Action Network have focused on Swietenia so as to expose illegal traffic in the wood, notably from Brazil. Melia azedarach Melia azedarach , commonly known as
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#1732845115437528-433: Is present. The fruits of Swietenia macrophylla are called "sky fruit", because they seem to hang upwards from the tree. The "sky fruit" concentrate is sold as a natural remedy that is said to improve blood circulation and skin. It is also said to have Viagra -like qualities regarding erectile dysfunction. A somewhat comparable wood is yielded by the related African genus Khaya . This is traded as African mahogany and
572-500: Is readily confused with the unrelated Burmese teak ( Tectona grandis ). Melia azedarach , in keeping with other members of the family Meliaceae , has a timber of high quality, but in comparison to many almost- extinct species of mahogany , it is under-utilised. Seasoning is relatively simple — planks dry without cracking or warping and are resistant to fungal infection. The tough five-grooved seeds were widely used for making rosaries and other products requiring beads ; however,
616-694: Is the main source of the world's current supply of "genuine mahogany", due to cultivation and trade of it in its native locations being restricted by the Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna ( CITES ) since the late 1990s. Trade in Swietenia grown and harvested in these non-native locations is not restricted. Species of this genus are only occasionally plantation-grown in Central America, in spite of
660-522: Is useful in plant identification; for instance in parts of Southern California and the American Southeast , deciduous and evergreen oak species may grow side by side. Periods of leaf fall often coincide with seasons: winter in the case of cool-climate plants or the dry-season in the case of tropical plants, however there are no deciduous species among tree-like monocotyledonous plants, e.g. palms , yuccas , and dracaenas . The hydrangea hirta
704-553: The autumn ; to the shedding of petals , after flowering; and to the shedding of ripe fruit . The antonym of deciduous in the botanical sense is evergreen . Generally, the term "deciduous" means "the dropping of a part that is no longer needed or useful" and the "falling away after its purpose is finished". In plants, it is the result of natural processes. "Deciduous" has a similar meaning when referring to animal parts, such as deciduous antlers in deer , deciduous teeth (baby teeth) in some mammals (including humans); or decidua ,
748-537: The chinaberry tree , pride of India , bead-tree , Cape lilac , syringa berrytree , Persian lilac , Indian lilac , or white cedar , is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family , Meliaceae , that is native to Indomalaya and Australasia . The fully grown tree has a rounded crown, and commonly measures 7–12 metres (20–40 feet) tall, exceptionally 45 m (150 ft). The leaves are up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) long, alternate, long-petioled, two or three times compound (odd-pinnate);
792-456: The dry season or other seasons, depending on variations in rainfall . The converse of deciduous is evergreen , where foliage is shed on a different schedule from deciduous plants, therefore appearing to remain green year round because not all the leaves are shed at the same time. Plants that are intermediate may be called semi-deciduous ; they lose old foliage as new growth begins. Other plants are semi-evergreen and lose their leaves before
836-503: The foliage before they are shed and store them in the form of proteins in the vacuoles of parenchyma cells in the roots and the inner bark. In the spring, these proteins are used as a nitrogen source during the growth of new leaves or flowers. Plants with deciduous foliage have advantages and disadvantages compared to plants with evergreen foliage. Since deciduous plants lose their leaves to conserve water or to better survive winter weather conditions, they must regrow new foliage during
880-538: The leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below, with serrate margins. The flowers are small and fragrant, with five pale purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters. The fruit is a drupe , marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white. Melia azedarach has a short lifespan, averaging about 20 years. Italo et al. 2009 and Safithri and Sari 2016 report flavonoids and phenols found in M. azedarach . The genus name Melia
924-834: The Himalayas, Europe and for cultivation purposes in Oceania. They have formed under climatic conditions which have great seasonable temperature variability. Growth occurs during warm summers, leaf drop in autumn, and dormancy during cold winters. These seasonally distinctive communities have diverse life forms that are impacted greatly by the seasonality of their climate, mainly temperature and precipitation rates. These varying and regionally different ecological conditions produce distinctive forest plant communities in different regions. Tropical and subtropical deciduous forest biomes have developed in response not to seasonal temperature variations but to seasonal rainfall patterns. During prolonged dry periods
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#1732845115437968-747: The bark are eaten. [4] However, these toxins are not harmful to birds, who gorge themselves on the fruit, eventually reaching a "drunken" state. The birds that are able to eat the fruit spread the seeds in their droppings. The toxins are neurotoxins and unidentified resins, found mainly in the fruits. The first symptoms of poisoning appear a few hours after ingestion. They may include loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, bloody faeces, stomach pain, pulmonary congestion, cardiac arrest , rigidity, lack of coordination and general weakness. Death may take place after about 24 hours. As in relatives, tetranortriterpenoids constitute an important toxic principle. These are chemically related to azadirachtin ,
1012-428: The earliest trees to lose their leaves in the fall. In sub-Arctic climates such as Alaska , leaves begin turning colors as early as August. However, for most temperate regions it takes place in late September through early November and in subtropical climates such as the southern US, it may be November into December. Leaf drop or abscission involves complex physiological signals and changes within plants. When leafout
1056-677: The fall months and the Western United States as it has more evergreen and fewer deciduous plants, combined with the West Coast and its maritime climate. ( See also : Autumn leaf color ) Most of the Southern Hemisphere lacks deciduous plants due to its milder winters and smaller landmass, most of which is nearer the equator with only far southern South America and the southern island of New Zealand producing distinct fall colors. The beginnings of leaf drop starts when an abscission layer
1100-591: The flowers can be damaged by frost or, in dry season regions, result in water stress on the plant. Spring leafout and fall leaf drop are triggered by a combination of daylight and air temperatures. The exact conditions required will vary with the species, but generally more cold-tolerant genera such as Salix will leaf-out earlier and lose their leaves later, while genera such as Fraxinus and Juglans can only grow in warm, frost-free conditions so they need at least 13 hours of daylight and air temperatures of around 70 °F (21 °C) to leaf out. They will be among
1144-426: The foliage is dropped to conserve water and prevent death from drought. Leaf drop is not seasonally dependent as it is in temperate climates. It can occur any time of year and varies by region of the world. Even within a small local area there can be variations in the timing and duration of leaf drop; different sides of the same mountain and areas that have high water tables or areas along streams and rivers can produce
1188-408: The good growing conditions and high price of the wood, due to the ubiquitous presence of the mahogany shoot borer moth (also known as the cedar tip moth), Hypsipyla grandella , which damages the form of the tree by killing the terminal shoot, causing excessive branching. Control requires extensive and frequent spraying with pesticides, rendering the genus relatively uneconomic wherever the shoot borer
1232-417: The humid maritime climate and lower overall species diversity . It is also a factor that the continental United States and southern Canada are at a lower latitude than northern Europe, so the sun during the fall months is higher and stronger. This combination of strong sun and cool temperatures leads to more intense fall colors. The Southern United States also has poor fall colors due to warm temperatures during
1276-466: The leaves is not as bitter as that of the leaves of neem ( Azadirachta indica ). In Australia, particularly the suburbs of Melbourne, the tree is often used in nature strip plantings by local councils. The councils plant such trees for amenity reasons as well as environmental, social and economic benefits. Leaves have been used as a natural insecticide to keep with stored food , but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous . Chinaberry fruit
1320-526: The leaves. Rather, they are produced in the foliage in late summer, when sugars are trapped in the leaves after the process of abscission begins. Parts of the world that have showy displays of bright autumn colors are limited to locations where days become short and nights are cool. The New England region of the United States and southeastern Canada tend to produce particularly good autumn colors for this reason, with Europe producing generally poorer colors due to
1364-412: The next growing season, retaining some during winter or dry periods. Many deciduous plants flower during the period when they are leafless, as this increases the effectiveness of pollination . The absence of leaves improves wind transmission of pollen for wind-pollinated plants and increases the visibility of the flowers to insects in insect-pollinated plants. This strategy is not without risks, as
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1408-783: The next suitable growing season; this uses resources which evergreens do not need to expend. Evergreens suffer greater water loss during the winter and they also can experience greater predation pressure , especially when small. Deciduous trees experience much less branch and trunk breakage from glaze ice storms when leafless, and plants can reduce water loss due to the reduction in availability of liquid water during cold winter days. Losing leaves in winter may reduce damage from insects; repairing leaves and keeping them functional may be more costly than just losing and regrowing them. Removing leaves also reduces cavitation which can damage xylem vessels in plants. This then allows deciduous plants to have xylem vessels with larger diameters and therefore
1452-400: The past to induce uterine relaxation. The tree's Limonoid contains useful anticancer and antimalarial compounds. [3] The fruits have evolved to be eaten by animals, which eat the flesh surrounding the hard endocarp or ingest the entire fruit and later vent the endocarp. If the endocarp is crushed or damaged during ingestion or digestion, the animal will be exposed to the toxins within
1496-462: The plant could also be used in art and crafts, such as making beads for rosaries . It has naturalized in parts of Australia and in New Zealand, but it is classed as 'weed', since it has the ability to colonise an area (with bird dropped seed) if left unchecked. The main utility of chinaberry is its timber. This is of medium density, and ranges in colour from light brown to dark red. In appearance it
1540-469: The plant, the cells of the abscission layer remain connected; in autumn, or when under stress, the auxin flow from the leaf decreases or stops, triggering cellular elongation within the abscission layer. The elongation of these cells breaks the connection between the different cell layers, allowing the leaf to break away from the plant. It also forms a layer that seals the break, so the plant does not lose sap. Some trees, particularly oaks and beeches, exhibit
1584-536: The primary insecticidal compound in the commercially important neem oil . These compounds are probably related to the wood and seed's resistance to pest infestation, and maybe to the unattractiveness of the flowers to animals. The plant is toxic to cats. Deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany , the term deciduous ( / d ɪ ˈ s ɪ dʒ u . ə s / ) means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves , usually in
1628-427: The seed. The processes of mastication and digestion , and the degree of immunity to the particular toxins, vary widely between species, and there will accordingly be great variation in the clinical symptoms following ingestion. Fruits are poisonous or narcotic to humans if eaten in large quantities. According to Chinese medical literature, human poisoning can occur if 6 - 9 fruits, 30 - 40 seeds, or 400 grams of
1672-528: The seeds were later replaced by plastics . The cut branches with mature fruit are sold commercially to the florist and landscaping trade particularly as a component for outdoor holiday décor. The fruits may persist for some time prior to shattering off the stem or discoloring, which occurs rapidly after a relatively short time in subfreezing weather. In Kenya the trees have been grown by farmers and used as fodder trees. The leaves can be fed to cattle to improve milk yields and improve farm incomes. The taste of
1716-531: The terminal leaflet absent; each leaflet is 5–15 cm long. The leaves are deciduous to semi- evergreen , falling shortly before the new foliage grows. The flowers are produced in loose inflorescences , each flower small, with five white to greenish-yellowish petals. The fruit is a pear-shaped five-valved capsule 8–20 cm long, containing numerous winged seeds about 5–9 cm long. The three species are poorly defined biologically, in part because they hybridize freely when grown in proximity. The genus
1760-541: The tree and cause a lot of damage to the tree in Australia. Fungal plant pathogen Pseudocercospora subsessilis is found on the leaves of the tree, causing leaf spots. A mature Chinaberry tree is environment-versatile and can withstand temperatures as low as -5˚C and can survive in warm temperatures up to 39˚C [1] . Although, according to the USDA, the tree exists as far up north as New York (Distribution data) The plant
1804-518: The trees, and the seeds are also widely available. It has become naturalized to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Americas and is planted in similar climates around the world. It is an ornamental tree in the southern part of Korea. It was planted in parks, public gardens, stream banks and along footpaths or roadsides in Australia. The fragrant lilac flowers and yellow fruits of White Cedar make it an appealing ornamental tree. The hard seeds of
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1848-464: The uterine lining that sheds off after birth. In botany and horticulture , deciduous plants , including trees , shrubs and herbaceous perennials, are those that lose all of their leaves for part of the year. This process is called abscission . In some cases leaf loss coincides with winter—namely in temperate or polar climates . In other parts of the world, including tropical, subtropical, and arid regions, plants lose their leaves during
1892-550: Was introduced around 1830 as an ornamental in the United States ( South Carolina and Georgia ) and widely planted in southern states, where its leaves were used to repel insects and its berries were used for home-made whiskey and soap. The plant was introduced into Hawaii in 1840. It is considered an invasive species in Texas , and by some American groups in Oklahoma and as far north as Virginia . But US nurseries continue to sell
1936-406: Was used to prevent insect larvae from growing in the fruit. By placing the berries in, for example, drying apples and keeping the fruit turned in the sun without damaging any of the chinaberry skin, the fruit will dry and will prevent insect larvae in the dried apples. A mature tree can yield approximately 15 kilograms of fruit annually [2] . A diluted infusion of leaves and trees has been used in
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