Samadera

Plants in this genus are large or small trees with simple leaves. The flowers are bisexual, produced in axillary or terminal umbels. The calyces (collective name for the sepals) are small, 3-5 partite (divided into parts) and imbricate (overlapping each other). The 3-5 petals are much longer than the calyx, they are coriaceous (leather-like, stiff and tough) and imbricate. The flower disk is large, conical, with 8-10 stamens, including in the corolla, with a small scale at the base. The stigmas are acute and the ovules are solitary and pendulous. The fruit (or seed capsule) consists of 1-5 large dry compressed 1 seeded drupes (stone fruit), each with a narrow unilateral wing.Edmund Gregory {{google books|PaVCAQAAIAAJ|Botany Bulletin, Queensland. Department of Agriculture and Stock (1895)|page=8}}{{Failed verification|reason=No mention of this taxon in the given source |date=August 2024}}Frederick Manson Bailey {{google books|SNMYAAAAYAAJ|Botany:Contributions to the Queensland Flora (1891)|page=}}

It was first published and described by German Botanist Joseph Gaertner (1732–1791) in his seminal book De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum vol.2 on page 352 in 1791.{{cite web |title=De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum: accedunt seminum centuriae quinque priores cum tabulis Aeneis LXXIX. Stutgardiae, Tubingae {{!}} International Plant Names Index |url=https://www.ipni.org/p/1445-2 |website=www.ipni.org |access-date=7 November 2023}}

The species was later placed in the section Samadera of the Simaroubaceae by Hans Peter Nooteboom (1934–2022) in 1962 (published in 1963), as Quassia indica, along with Samadera harmandiana as Quassia harmandiana. Nooteboom had taken a very broad view of the genus Quassia {{au|L.}} and included therein various genera including, Hannoa {{au|Planch.}}, Odyendyea {{au|(Pierre) Engl.}}, Pierreodendron {{au|Engl.}}, Samadera {{au|Gaertn.}}, Simaba {{au|Aubl.}} and Simarouba {{au|Aubl.}} .{{cite journal |last1=Noteboom |first1=Hans Peter |title=Generic delimitation in Simaroubaceae tribus Simaroubeae and a conspectus of the genus Quassia L. |journal=Blumea |date=1962 |volume=XI |issue=2 |pages=509–28 |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/524782/BLUM1962011002007.pdf |access-date=4 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=Quassia indica {{!}} International Plant Names Index |url=https://www.ipni.org/n/814026-1 |website=www.ipni.org |access-date=10 November 2023}}

In 2007, DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses was carried out on members of the Simaroubaceae family. It found that genus Samadera was a sister to Clade V and that genus Quassia was also a sister to Clade V but they had separate lineages. This suggested the splitting up of genera Quassia again, with all Nooteboom's synonyms listed above being resurrected as independent genera. This includes Samadera indica {{au|Gaertn.}} as the accepted name for Quassia indica. The ornamental Quassia amara {{au|L.}}, which is occasionally planted in Singapore, remains in genus Quassia.{{cite journal |last1=Clayton |first1=J.W. |last2=Fernando |first2=E.S. |last3=Soltis |first3=P.S. |last4=Soltis |first4=D.E. |title=Molecular phylogeny of the Tree-of-Heaven family (Simaroubaceae) based on chloroplast and nuclear markers |journal=Int. J. Plant Sci. |date=2007 |volume=168 |issue=9 |pages=1325–1339|doi=10.1086/521796 |s2cid=86016778 }}

Genus Samadera is agreed name by various authors including Klaus Kubitzki,{{cite book |last1=Clayton |first1=J.W. |editor1-last=Kubitzki |editor1-first=K. |title=The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants |date=2011 |publisher=Springer-Verlag. |location=Berlin |pages=408–423 |edition=10 |chapter=Simaroubaceae}} Devecchi et al. 2018,{{cite journal |last1=Devecchi |first1=Marcelo Fernando |last2=Thomas |first2=William Wayt |last3=Plunkett |first3=Gregory M. |last4=Pirani |first4=José Rubens |title=Testing the monophyly of Simaba (Simaroubaceae): Evidence from five molecular regions and morphology |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=March 2018 |volume=120 |pages=63–82 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.024 |pmid=29222065 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018MolPE.120...63D }} and Pirani et al. 2021.{{cite journal |last1=Pirani |first1=J.R. |last2=Majure |first2=L.C. |last3=Devecchi |first3=M.F. |title=An updated account of Simaroubaceae with emphasis on American taxa. |journal=Brazilian Journal of Botany |date=2021 |volume=45 |pages=201–221 |doi=10.1007/s40415-021-00731-x|s2cid=238714018 }}

It is listed as a possible synonym of Quassia {{small|L.}} by GRIN (United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service),{{cite web |title=Samadera GRIN-Global |url=https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomygenus?id=16376 |website=npgsweb.ars-grin.gov |access-date=5 June 2022}} and by World Flora Online.{{cite web |title=Samadera Gaertn. |url=https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000033896 |access-date=7 November 2023}}

The genus name of Samadera is derived from the New Latin, from Sinhalese word samadarā, a tree of Ceylon.{{cite web |title=Samadera noun |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Samadera |access-date=8 November 2023}}Alexander Senning {{google books|Fl4sdCYrq3cC|Elsevier's Dictionary of Chemoetymology: The Whys and Whences of Chemical ... (2006)|page=350}}

It has 4 known species;

• Samadera baileyana {{small|Oliv.}} - only found in northern Queensland, Australia {{cite web |title=Species profile — Samadera baileyana {{!}} Environment, land and water |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=33392 |website=apps.des.qld.gov.au |access-date=12 November 2023 |language=en-AU |date=20 October 2014}}
• Samadera bidwillii {{small|(Benth. & Hook.f.) Oliv.}} - only found in Queensland,
• Samadera harmandiana {{small|Pierre ex Laness.}} - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
• Samadera indica {{small|Gaertn.}} - see below Distribution text

Tropicos lists 5 known species; Samadera harmandiana {{au|Pierre}}, Samadera indica {{au|Gaertn.}}, Samadera lucida {{au|(Wall.) Planch.}}, Samadera madagascariensis {{au|A. Juss.}} and Samadera tetrapetala {{au|(Poir.) G. Don.}}{{cite web |title=Tropicos:Samadera Gaertn. |url=https://tropicos.org/name/40029093 |website=tropicos.org |access-date=7 November 2023}}

The genus is native to Tanzania (including Pemba Island), Comoros, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Andaman Islands, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Philippines, the Caroline Islands, New Guinea (including the Bismarck Archipelago), the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and eastern Australia (New South Wales and Queensland).{{Failed verification|reason=No mention of this taxon in the given source |date=August 2024}}

Samadera indica for example, occurs in lowland tropical forest and peat swamp forest. at an altitude of {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

While Samadera bidwillii is commonly found in Queensland, Australia within lowland rainforest often with species Araucaria cunninghamii or on the edges of rain-forests, but it can also be found in other forest types, such as open forest and woodland, it is commonly found in areas adjacent to both temporary and permanent watercourses. At an altitude of {{convert|510|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

Samadera indica (Quassia indica) was assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019. Samadera indica is listed as least concern (LC).{{cite web |last1=Oldfield |first1=S. |title=Quassia indica : e.T117895344A117895375. |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/117895344/117895375 |website=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 |access-date=7 November 2023 |date=2020}}

Samadera bidwillii is listed in Australia as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. Due to threats to its habitat, such as clearing as a result of a range of activities including agriculture, forestry, urban development and recreational activities. The spread of non-native species such as lantana (Lantana camara) and exotic grasses, including guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana), may also threaten populations of Samadera bidwillii.{{cite web |title=Species profile {{!}} Environment, land and water Species profile—Samadera bidwillii |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=33391 |website=apps.des.qld.gov.au |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=9 November 2023 |language=en-AU |date=20 October 2014}}

Some species such as Samadera indica are gathered from the wild and are used medicinally in local folk medicines and also used to produce insecticides.{{cite book |last1=Chopra. |first1=R. N. |last2=Nayar |first2=S. L. |last3=Chopra |first3=I. C. |title=Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). |date=1986 |publisher=Council of Scientific and Industrial Research |location=New Delhi}} The wood of the tree is used locally for example in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia, where it is used for making knife-handles.

In the state of Kerala, India species Samadera indica has found to have anti-tumor,{{cite journal |last1=Fukamiya |first1=N. |last2=Lee |first2=K. |last3=Muhammad |first3=I. |last4=Murakami |first4=C. |last5=Okano |first5=M. |last6=Harvey |first6=I. |display-authors=etal |title=Structure-activity relationships of quassinoids for eukaryotic protein synthesis. |journal=Cancer Lett. |date=2005 |volume=220 |issue=1 |pages=37–48|doi=10.1016/j.canlet.2004.04.023 |pmid=15737686 }} antifeedant,{{cite journal |last1=Daido |first1=M. |last2=Ohno |first2=N. |last3=Imamura |first3=K. |last4=Fukamiya |first4=N. |last5=Hatakoshi |first5=M. |last6=Yamazaki |first6=H. |display-authors=etal |title=Antifeedant and insecticidal activity of quassinoids against the diamondback moth (Plutela xylostella) and structure-activity relationships. |journal=Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. |date=1995 |volume=59 |issue=6 |pages=974–9|doi=10.1271/bbb.59.974 }} phytotoxic,{{cite journal |last1=De Feo |first1=V. |last2=Martino |first2=L. |last3=Quaranta |first3=E. |last4=Pizza |first4=C. |title=Isolation of phytotoxic compounds from tree-of heaven (Ailanthus altissima Swingle) |journal=J. Agric. Food Chem. |date=2003 |volume=51 |issue=5 |pages=1177–80|doi=10.1021/jf020686+ |pmid=12590453 }} antiviral,{{cite journal |last1=Apers |first1=S. |last2=Cimanga |first2=K. |last3=Berghe |first3=D.V. |last4=Meenen |first4=E.V. |last5=Longanga |first5=A.O. |last6=Foriers |first6=A. |display-authors=et al. |title=Antiviral activity of simalikalactone D, a quassinoid from Quassia africana. |journal=Planta Med. |date=2002 |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=20–4|doi=10.1055/s-2002-19870 |pmid=11842321 |s2cid=260284246 }} anthelmintic,{{cite journal |last1=Nunomura |first1=R.C. |last2=Silva |first2=E.C. |last3=Oliveira |first3=D.F. |last4=Garcia |first4=A.M. |last5=Boeloni |first5=J.N. |last6=Nunomura |first6=S.M. |display-authors=et al. |title=In-vitro studies of the anthelmintic activity of Picrolemma sprucei Hook. f. (Simaroubaceae) |journal=Acta Amaz. |date=2006 |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=327–30|doi=10.1590/S0044-59672006000300006 |doi-access=free }} and anti-malarial activities,{{cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=C.W. |title=Traditional antimalarial and development of novel antimalarial drugs. |journal=J. Ethnopharmacol. |date=2005 |volume=100 |issue=1–2 |pages=67–71|doi=10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.012 |pmid=16023812 }} growth regulating activities,{{cite journal |last1=Govindachari |first1=T.R. |last2=Krishnakumari |first2=G.N. |last3=Gopalakrishnan |first3=G. |last4=Suresh |first4=G. |last5=Wesley |first5=S.D. |last6=Sreelatha |first6=T. |title=Insect antifeedant and growth regulating activities of quassinoids from Samadera indica. |journal=Fitoterapia |date=2001 |volume=72 |issue=5 |pages=568–71|doi=10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00342-7 |pmid=11429258 }} and antioxidant,{{cn|date=November 2023}} and antimicrobial activities.{{cite journal |last1=Viswanad |first1=Vidya |last2=Aleykutty |first2=N.A. |last3=Jaykar |first3=B. |last4=Zachariah |first4=S.M. |last5=Thomas |first5=L. |title=Studies on antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Methanolic extract of Samadera indica. |journal=Int J Pharma Sci Rev Res |date=2011 |volume=11 |pages=59–64}} It was used to vitiate diseases such as vata, kapha, arthritis, constipation, and skin diseases like leprosy, scabies, pruritus, and erysipelas.

A methanolic extract of Samadera indica can be used to treat skin diseases.{{cite journal |last1=Viswanad |first1=Vidya |last2=Aleykutty |first2=N. A. |last3=Jayakar |first3=B. |last4=Zacharia |first4=Subin Mary |last5=Thomas |first5=Litha |title=Development and evaluation of antimicrobial herbal formulations containing the methanolic extract of Samadera indica for skin diseases |journal=J Adv Pharm Technol Res |date=April–June 2012 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=106–111 |doi=10.4103/2231-4040.97285 |pmid=22837958 |pmc=3401671 |doi-access=free }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q6118009}}

Category:Sapindales genera

Category:Plants described in 1791

Category:Taxa named by Joseph Gaertner