Buchanania

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Buchanania

Description

Trees. Leaves spiral, simple, subcoriaceous, entire, petioled or sessile, mostly with internerval vein(s). Inflorescences axillary (also terminal?), paniculate. Flowers bisexual. Petals 5 (rarely 4 or 6), imbricate, glabrous. Stamens twice the number of petals; Ovary ellipsoid, hairy or glabrous; Seed with testa free from the endocarp;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical, Australasia, Melanesia present, Micronesia present, Pacific: Samoa (Samoa present), Polynesia present, tropical Asia present
About 25 spp., distributed in tropical Asia, Malesia, Australia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia (Samoa).

Taxonomy

BUCHANAN (), in his "Description of the tree called, by the Burmese, Launzan", gave a detailed Latin description for the plant and stated: "I believe it will be found to constitute a new genus; but I do not venture to give it a name, till the European botanists have ascertained, whether or not it be reducible to any known genus of plants". Launzan was evaluated two years later by SPRENGEL l.c. who based himself on BUCHANAN'S description and named this tree Buchanania lanzan.
The vernacular name launzan was listed by Index Kewensis in the synonymy of Buchanania. BARKLEY () proposed to conserve the generic name Buchanania over Launzan, but this is clearly unnecessary; cf. .

Uses

The wood of some species is used for light construction, interior finishing, household implements, canoes (Papua), etc. (cf. ).

Citation

Hook.f. 1862 – In: B. & H., Gen. Pl. 1: 421
Engl. 1883 – In: DC., Mon. Phan. 4: 179
KUNTH 1824 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 338
SPRENG. 1801 – In: Schrader, J. Bot.: 234
DING HOU 1978 – In: Blumea: 4
MARCH. 1869: Rév. Anacard.: 116 & 191
Roxb. 1819 – In: Pl. Corom.: 58