Azadirachta A. Juss., Bull. Sci. Nat. Geol. 23: 236. 1830; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. 2: 207. 1902; Talbot, For. Fl. Bomb. Pres. and Sind, 1: 228. 1909; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org

A tall evergreen tree. Leaves unipinnate; leaflets serrate, oblique. Flowers bisexual, in axillary panicles. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, free. Stamens 10, monoadelphous; anthers included, sessile on the staminal tube. Disc absent. Carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary 3-locular, with 2 ovules in each loculus; stigma trifid. Fruit a drupe.

2 species

Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 19: 221. 1831; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. 2: 207. 1902; Talbot, For. Fl. Bomb. Pres. and Sind, 1: 228. 1909; Brandis, Ind. Trees, 139. 1911; Bamber, Fl. Punj. 42. 1916; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 71. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 177(127). 1915; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 38; keralaplants.in; Melia azadirachta L., Sp. Pl. 385. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 544. 1875; Melia indica (A. Juss.) Brandis, For. Fl. Ind. 67.1874; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed.2: 81. 1921 (Reprint 1980).

A large evergreen tree, bark greyish-brown, vertically striated, exudation red, sticky. Branches glabrous. Leaves alternate, exstipulate, crowded towards the end of branches, pari- or imparipinnate, 14-35 cm long, leaf base pulvinate; petiole 4-6 cm long. Leaflets 9-17, opposite to subopposite, 4.5-11.5 cm x 1.5-3 cm, obliquely lanceolate or falcate, acuminate, coarsely serrate above, lower half entire, bright green and shining above; lateral veins 10-18 pairs; leaflets subsessile, petiolules 2-3 mm long. Flowers white, sweet scented, actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous, 10-13 mm across, in axillary panicles, panicles shorter than the subtending leaves; peduncle, its branches and pedicels pubescent or puberulent. Sepals 5, connate at base, lobes 0.5-0.7 mm x 0.5-0.7 mm, rotund-ovate, puberulous, minutely ciliolate, pale green. Petals 5, free, ca. 5 mm x 2 mm, spathulate-oblong, faintly puberulous outside. Stamens 10, monoadelphous, staminal tube a little shorter than petals, ca. 4.5 mm x 2.5 mm, tubular, puberulent outside, 10-striate, 10-toothed at apex, teeth truncate, 2-lobed; anthers included, opposite the teeth of staminal tube and within the tube, sessile, apiculate, basifixed. Disc absent. Carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary obovate or subglobose, glabrous, 3-locular, 2 ovules per loculus; style linear, ca. 2.5 mm long; stigma trifid. Drupes ovoid- oblong, 1.3-2.0 cm x 0.5 cm, 1-celled, 1-seeded, seeds surrounded by sweet pulp, greenish- yellow.

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