Description:

• Trees, shrubs, or shrublets; monoecious or dioecious; indumentum of simple, glandular and tufted-stellate hairs
• Leaves usually alternate, sometimes fascicled, simple, pari- or imparipinnate, 2- or 3-pinnate or 1-3-foliolate; stipules 0
• Flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular, usually paniculate, sometimes fascicled, or solitary
• Calyx 4- or 5-fid or -partite, usually imbricate, never completely covering corolla in bud
• Petals (3)4 or 5(-7), free, contorted or imbricate
• Disc intrastaminal, variable, rarely absent
• Stamens (5-)8-10(-20); filaments ± united into a staminal tube, or rarely free
• Ovary superior, (2)3-5(-20)-locular with 1 or many axile ovules in each locule; style simple; stigma discoid, capitate, or sometimes lobed
• Fruit a loculicidal or septifragal capsule, drupe, or rarely a berry
• Seeds 1-many in each locule, sometimes winged, or arillate

Nomenclature:

• Meliaceae
  • Pennington & Styles: 419 (1975)
  • White & Styles: 285 (1963)
  • White: 143 (1986)
  • White & Styles: 39 (1986)
  • Styles & White: 1 (1991)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 50, species 800, confined to tropics and subtropics of both hemispheres
• Southern Africa: Genera 10 (4 naturalised), species 14 indigenous, 4 naturalised

References:

• PENNINGTON, T.D. & STYLES, B.T. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. Blumea 22
• STYLES, B.T. & WHITE, F. 1991. Meliaceae. Flora of tropical East Africa. Meliaceae
• WHITE, F. 1986. The taxonomy, chorology and reproductive biology of southern African Meliaceae and Ptaeroxylaceae. Bothalia 16
• WHITE, F. & STYLES, B.T. 1963. Meliaceae. Flora zambesiaca 2
• WHITE, F. & STYLES, B.T. 1986. Meliaceae. Flora of southern Africa 18, 3

Resources:

• Key to Meliaceae genera

• Meliaceae genera: