Azadirachta

Azadirachta
Azadirachta indica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Subfamily: Melioideae
Genus: Azadirachta
A.Juss.[1]
Species

See text.

Azadirachta is a genus of two species of trees in the mahogany family Meliaceae.[2] Numerous species have been proposed for the genus but only two are currently recognized, Azadirachta excelsa and the economically important tree Azadirachta indica, the neem tree, from which neem oil is extracted. Both species are native to the Indomalaysian region, and A. indica is also widely cultivated and naturalized outside its native range.

Medicinal properties have been attributed to the resin derived from the trees in the traditional medicine of India. One of the components of this resin has been found to be an effective insecticide; see azadirachtin. Another component is an effective anti-fungal; see Azadirachta indica.

These species should not be confused with Melia azedarach, which is a tree in a different genus of the family Meliaceae.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference IPNI_26682-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference POWO_924837-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).