Brucea javanica

Brucea javanica grows as a shrub or small tree to {{convert|5|m}} tall. The tiny flowers (1.5–2 mm in diameter) are greenish white to greenish red or purple and occur in panicles. There are separate male and female flowers on each plant, making it a monoecious species. The anthers are typically red. In the northern hemisphere it flowers in June and July and sets fruit in July and August, in Australia it flowers from October to February and fruits from February to July.{{R|COOPER2}} The fruit, which are drupes, measure up to {{convert|0.5|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} long. When ripe they are a black-gray color and they become wrinkled when dry. The seed is whitish yellow and covered with an oily membrane. It has compound leaves with typically 7–9 (but range from 3–15) ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets with serrate margins. Each leaflet is 20–40 cm long at maturity and comes to a point at the apex. The leaves are covered with fine hairs that are most prominent on the veins and on the undersides of the leaves. All parts of the plant are intensely bitter.

Brucea javanica occurs naturally from Sri Lanka and India to China, Indochina, Malesia, New Guinea and Australia. Its habitat includes open areas, secondary forest and sometimes sand dunes. In Australia it grows as an understory tree from sea-level to {{convert|500|m}} altitude.

It contains quassinoid compounds called bruceolides. The plant is used in folk medicine to treat dysentery and malaria.

{{Reflist|refs =

{{cite iucn |author=Liu, B. |author2=Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). |author3=IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. |year=2019 |title=Brucea javanica |page=e.T88319896A147617680 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T88319896A147617680.en}}

{{cite web | title = Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. | url = http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2683970 | work = The Plant List | accessdate = 20 March 2015 }}

{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=MW |last2=Chen |first2=R|last3=Wang |first3=SP|last4=Tan |first4=W| display-authors=etal |date=2013 |title=Chemical components, pharmacological properties, and nanoparticulate delivery systems of Brucea javanica |journal= Int J Nanomed |volume=8 |pages=85–92 |pmc=3540955 |pmid=23319860 |doi=10.2147/IJN.S31636 |doi-access=free }}

{{cite book | last1 = Quattrocchi | first1 = Umberto |date = 1999 | title = CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology | volume = 1 | pages = 362 | publisher = CRC Press | isbn = 978-0-849326-73-8}}

{{GRIN | accessdate = 20 March 2015 }}

{{cite book | last1 = Kulip | first1 = Julius | last2 = Wong | first2 = K. M. | date = 1995 | contribution = Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. | contribution-url = http://www.chm.frim.gov.my/backup/TFSSvol1_3.pdf | editor1-last = Soepadmo | editor1-first = E. | editor2-last = Wong | editor2-first = K. M. | title = Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak | volume = 1 | pages = 429, 431 | publisher = Forest Research Institute Malaysia | isbn = 983-9592-34-3 | url = http://www.chm.frim.gov.my/Resources/Publications/Books/Floras/Tree-Flora-of-Sabah-and-Sarawak.aspx | version = (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions) | accessdate = 20 March 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130927074942/http://www.chm.frim.gov.my/Resources/Publications/Books/Floras/Tree-Flora-of-Sabah-and-Sarawak.aspx | archive-date = 27 September 2013 | url-status = dead }}

{{cite web |author1=F.A.Zich |author2=B.P.M.Hyland |author3=T.Whiffen |author4=R.A.Kerrigan |author2-link=Bernard Hyland |year=2020 |access-date=27 May 2021 |url=https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/Brucea_javanica.htm |title=Brucea javanica |website=Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8) |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government}}

{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-57970-7_2 |chapter=Brucea SPP.: In Vitro Culture and the Production of Canthinone Alkaloids and Other Secondary Metabolites |title=Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VI |series=Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry |year=1994 |last1=Roberts |first1=M. F. |volume=26 |pages=21–45 |isbn=978-3-642-63420-8 }}

{{cite book |title=WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants |date=2006 |publisher=World Health Organization |hdl=10665/42052 }}

{{cite web | url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012489| title = Brucea javanica (Linnaeus) Merrill, J. Arnold Arbor. 9: 3. 1928. | work = Flora of China | publisher = Missouri Botanical Garden | accessdate = 20 September 2016}}

{{Cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Wendy |last2=Cooper |first2=William T. |author-link2=William T. Cooper |date=June 2004 |title=Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest |publication-place=Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia |publisher=Nokomis Editions |isbn=978-0958174213 |url=https://www.nokomis.com.au/product/nokomis-published-books/fruits-australian-tropical-rainforest/ |page=514}}

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q7691623}}

javanica

Category:Flora of tropical Asia

Category:Flora of China

Category:Flora of Taiwan

Category:Flora of Australia

Category:Plants described in 1753

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus