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Quassia family
Simaroubaceae DC.
ニガキ科
A family of trees and shrubs distributed from tropical to temperate regions. Approximately 20 genera and 100 species are known, rich in bitter compounds (quassinoids). In Japan, Picrasma quassioides is native and has extremely bitter bark. Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) has spread nationwide as a naturalized species.
Key Characteristics
- ●Bark and wood contain quassinoids, intensely bitter compounds
- ●Leaves mostly pinnately compound
- ●Flowers small, 4- to 5-merous
- ●Fruit a samara or drupe
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple / Compound
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Compound type
Ternate / Pinnate
Stipules
Absent
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
6 petals / Many
Petal fusion
Free / Fused
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4 / 5
Plant sex
Dioecious / Monoecious
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Sapindales > Simaroubaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (ca. 80 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of quassinoids as unique bitter defensive compounds
- ・Adaptation of Ailanthus altissima to urban environments and its global spread
Plants in Quassia family on this site
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