Chinaberry or Bead Tree
Chinaberry in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Meliaceae Genus: Melia Species: M. azedarach
Binomial name
Melia azedarach L.

The Chinaberry or Bead Tree (Melia azedarach; syn. M. australis, M. japonica, M. sempervivens), is a deciduous tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae, native to India, southern China and Australia. It is also occasionally known as Persian Lilac, White Cedar and other names. In South Africa it is commonly but erroneously called Syringa, which is in fact the lilac genus. The genus Melia includes four other species, occurring from southeast Asia to northern Australia. They are all deciduous or semi-evergreen small trees. Chinaberry in blossom Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 03:09, 13 Mar 2004 (UTC) ( ) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class: this name is formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name Magnoliaceae by the termination -opsida (Art 16 of the ICBN). ... Families See text Sapindales is a botanical name for an order of flowering plants. ... Genera See text The Meliaceae, or the Mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly tropical trees and shrubs in the order Sapindales, characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules and by syncarpous, usually bisexual flowers borne in panicles, cymes, spikes, or clusters. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... In scientific classification, synonymy is the existence of multiple systematic names to label the same organism. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Genera See text The Meliaceae, or the Mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly tropical trees and shrubs in the order Sapindales, characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules and by syncarpous, usually bisexual flowers borne in panicles, cymes, spikes, or clusters. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A Silver Fir shoot showing three successive years of retained leaves In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant which retains its leaves year-round, with each leaf persisting for more than 12 months. ...

The adult tree has a rounded to upright top, and measures between 7 and 12 metres in height. The flowers are small and fragrant, with five pale purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters. The fruit is a drupe, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming almost white. The metre (or meter, see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A Phalaenopsis flower Rudbeckia fulgida A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ... For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... The peach is a typical drupe (stone fruit) In botany, a drupe is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp or skin and mesocarp or flesh) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. ...

The leaves are up to 50 cm long, alternate, long-petioled, 2 or 3 times compound (odd-pinnate); the leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below, with serrate margins. They have been used as a natural insecticide to keep with stored food, but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous. A diluted infusion of leaves and trees has been used in the past to induce uterus relaxation. “Foliage” redirects here. ... A leaflet in botany is a part of a compound leaf. ... An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects in all developmental forms. ... The skull and crossbones symbol (Jolly Roger) traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... An infusion is a beverage made by steeping a flavoring substance in hot or boiling water. ... The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ...

The flowers are unattractive to bees and butterflies. The hard, spherical seeds were widely used for making rosaries and other products requiring beads, before their replacement by modern plastics. Families Andrenidae Apidae Colletidae Halictidae Megachilidae Melittidae Stenotritidae Bees are flying insects, closely related to wasps and ants. ... Superfamilies and families Superfamily Hedyloidea: Hedylidae Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. ... Our Lady of Lourdes - Mary appearing at Lourdes with Rosary beads. ... Look up bead in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans if eaten. The toxic principles are tetranortriterpene neurotoxins and unidentified resins; it is found most concentrated in the fruits. Some birds are able to eat the fruit, spreading the seeds in their droppings, but 15 grams are a lethal dose for a 22-kilogram pig. The first symptoms of poisoning appear a few hours after ingestion. They may include loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, bloody faeces, stomach pain, pulmonary congestion, cardiac paralisis, rigidity, lack of coordination and general weakness. Death may take place after about 24 hours. Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ... “Aves” redirects here. ... A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et...

The plant was introduced around 1830 as an ornamental in the United States (South Carolina and Georgia) and widely planted in southern states. Today it is considered an invasive species as far north as Virginia and Oklahoma.^[1] But nurseries continue to sell the trees, and seeds are also widely available. It has become naturalized to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Americas and is planted in similar climates around the world. Besides the problem of toxicity, its usefulness as a shade tree in urban areas is diminished by its tendency to sprout where unwanted and to turn sidewalks into dangerously slippery surfaces when the fruits fall.
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35... Lantana invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel The term invasive species refers to a subset of introduced species or non-indigenous species that are rapidly expanding outside of their native range. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... A nursery is a place where plants are propagated, usually for sale as a business, though some gardeners and farmers keep private nurseries. ... World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere historically considered to consist of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ...

A Chinaberry tree bearing fruit Image File history File links Size of this preview: 707 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (836 × 709 pixel, file size: 97 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A Chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach) bearing fruit. ...	Fruit-bearing branches, after losing leaves in autumn Image File history File links Size of this preview: 412 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (820 × 1194 pixel, file size: 279 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Chinaberry branches at fall: no leaves; with the poisonous fruit Photographed by myself this afternoon (Nov. ...	Close-up of the Chinaberry fruit Image File history File links Size of this preview: 599 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (868 × 869 pixel, file size: 56 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Close-up of the Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) fruit. ...	Close-up of bark on Chinaberry trunk Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 747 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Bark on trunk of Melia azedarach (chinaberry). ...
A Chinaberry tree at Keokea, Maui, Hawaii. Forest & Kim Starr, USGS Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 450 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 450 pixel, file size: 38 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Author: Forest and Kim Starr, USGS Source URL: http://www. ... Keokea is a populated place in Maui. ... The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727 square miles (1883 km²). Maui is part of the State of Hawaiʻi and is the largest island in Maui County. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...	Leaves, flowers and fruits Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1632 × 1224 pixel, file size: 896 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) [[:Image:]] File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chinaberry Metadata This file contains...

References

• Melia azederach (PDF)
• SerTox (in Spanish) - FAQ about toxic plants.