Family:
Simaroubaceae Life
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Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid II > Order: Sapindales
Nineteen genera and ninety-five species with a pantropical
distribution, extending a little into temperate regions. Ailanthus altissima
(Tree-of-heaven, Hemelboom)
and Picrasma excelsa (Quassia, Bitter ash) are cultivated in the region.
There are no native species of this family in southern
Africa. Kirkia used to be placed in the Simaroubaceae but is now in the
family Kirkiaceae. Harrisonia abyssinica also used to be placed in this
family but is now thought to belong to the Rutaceae (see
Angiosperm Phylogeny website)
Genera cultivated in southern Africa
Information from Glen (2002). The species name is provided
for genera that are represented by only one species in southern Africa.
Ailanthus
Ailanthus altissima
(Tree-of-heaven, Hemelboom) is native to China and Taiwan. It has been
grown as an ornamental tree in South Africa but has now been given the
status of a Category 3 invading
plant. This means that you are only allowed to have this plant growing
on your land if it was already planted in March 2001 and that it is not
within 30 m of the 50 year flood line of a river, lake or any other water
body. |
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Picrasma excelsa (Quassia, Bitter ash)
Native to the West Indies and Venezuela. |
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Publications
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