Cedrela

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Cedrela odorata foliage.jpg

|image_caption = Cedrela odorata foliage

|taxon = Cedrela

|authority = P.Browne

|type_species= Cedrela odorata

|type_species_authority = L.

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = See text

}}

Cedrela is a genus of several species in the mahogany family, Meliaceae. They are evergreen or dry-season deciduous trees with pinnate leaves, native to the tropical and subtropical New World, from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina.{{Cite web|title = Neotropical Meliaceae - Neotropikey from Kew|url = http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/neotropikey/families/Meliaceae.htm|website = www.kew.org|access-date = 2016-01-25}}

On 28 October 2022, all Neo-tropic Cedrela species were added to the list of species requiring international protections, in CITES Appendix II.CoP18 listing of valuable Teatfish and Cedrela species in CITES Appendix II enters into force | Author: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora | Date: 28 October 2022 | URL: https://cites.org/eng/teatfish_cedrela_listing_AppendixII_CITES_28082020 | CITES | access-date = 2023-07-14

Taxonomy

These species are currently accepted:{{Cite book|title = Meliaceae|publisher = New York Botanical Garden|date = 1981|isbn = 9780893272357|language = en|first = T. D.|last = Pennington|work = Flora Neotropica}}{{Cite book|title = A Monograph of Cedrela (Meliaceae)|publisher = dh books|date = 2010|isbn = 9780953813476|language = en|first = T. D.|last = Pennington|first2 = Alexandra N.|last2 = Muellner}}

Distribution and habitat

Cedrela odorata is the most common species in the genus, widespread in seasonally dry tropical and subtropical forests; it is deciduous in the dry season which may last several months. C. angustifolia and C. montana occur at higher altitudes in moister conditions, and are evergreen or only briefly deciduous.

File:Semillas de Cedro.JPG

Uses

Cedrela odorata is a timber tree that produces a lightweight, fragrant wood with resistance to wood-boring insects (e.g., termites) and is also rot-resistant.{{Cn|date=November 2023}} The wood is often sold under the name "Spanish-cedar" (it is neither Spanish nor a cedar), and is the traditional wood used for making cigar boxes, as well as being used for general outdoor and construction work, paneling and veneer wood, and necks and linings (interior strips of wood that attach the top and bottom of the guitar to the sides) of classical guitars and some electric guitars. Some species are now CITES-listed, in particular Cedrela odorata.{{Cite web|url=http://www.unep-wcmc-apps.org/isdb/CITES/Taxonomy/tax-species-result.cfm?displaylanguage=eng&Genus=%25Cedrela%25&source=plants&Species=odorata&Country=|title=CITES species database entry for Cedrela odorata|access-date=2012-10-22}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} It is also grown as an ornamental tree, and has become naturalized in some areas in Africa, southeast Asia and Hawaii. The other species have similar wood, but are less-used due to scarcity.

References

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