Samadera

Samadera
Flowers of Samadera indica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Simaroubaceae
Genus: Samadera
Gaertn.
Type species
Samadera indica
Gaertn.
Synonyms
  • Biporeia Thouars
  • Hyptiandra Hook.f.
  • Locandi Adans.
  • Manungala Blanco
  • Mauduita Comm. ex DC.
  • Niota Lam.
  • Samandura L. ex Baill.
  • Vitmannia Vahl

Samadera is a genus of four species of plants belonging to the family Simaroubaceae in the order Sapindales. Its natural range is from eastern Africa through tropical Asia to northern and eastern Australia and the western Pacific.

Description

Plants in this genus are shrubs or small trees. Leaves are alternate, undivided, glabrous (hairless), with entire margins. Stipules are absent. The flowers are bisexual, with 3 to 5 sepals and petals, and are produced in axillary or terminal pseudo-umbels. There are 8–10 stamens, each with a small scale or appendage at the base. The disc is fleshy, glabrous, and conical or cylindrical. The stigma is stellate (star-shaped) or capitate and the ovules are solitary and pendulous. The fruit consists of 1-5 large dry compressed 1 seeded drupe-like mericarps.

Taxonomy

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.

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 L. and included therein various genera including, Hannoa Planch., Odyendyea (Pierre) Engl., Pierreodendron Engl., Samadera Gaertn., Simaba Aubl. and Simarouba Aubl. .

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 Gaertn. as the accepted name for Quassia indica. The ornamental Quassia amara L., which is occasionally planted in Singapore, remains in genus Quassia.

It is listed as a possible synonym of Quassia L. by GRIN (United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service).

Etymology

The genus name Samadera is derived from the Sinhalese word samadarā, "a tree of Ceylon" [sic].

Species

The genus has four accepted species as of August 2026. A number of undescribed and potentially new species occur in Australia.

Current species

Distribution

It is native to the following regions as defined in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions:

Habitat

Samadera indica for example, occurs in lowland tropical forest and peat swamp forest. at an altitude of 200 m (660 ft) 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 510 m (1,670 ft) above sea level.

Conservation

Samadera indica (Quassia indica) was assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019. Samadera indica is listed as least concern (LC).

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.

Uses

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. 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, antifeedant, phytotoxic, antiviral, anthelmintic, and anti-malarial activities, growth regulating activities, and antioxidant,[citation needed] and antimicrobial activities. 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Samadera Gaertn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Samadera Gaertn., nom. cons". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Clayton, J.W. (2011). "Simaroubaceae". In Kubitzki, Klaus (ed.). Flowering Plants, Eudicots: Sapindales, Cucurbitales, Myrtaceae. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 10. Berlin: Springer. p. 418. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-14397-7. ISBN 978-3-642-14396-0.
  4. 1 2 Hewson, H.J. (2022). Kodela, P.G. (ed.). "Samadera Geartn". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum: accedunt seminum centuriae quinque priores cum tabulis Aeneis LXXIX. Stutgardiae, Tubingae | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  6. ↑ Noteboom, Hans Peter (1962). "Generic delimitation in Simaroubaceae tribus Simaroubeae and a conspectus of the genus Quassia L." (PDF). Blumea. XI (2): 509–28. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Quassia indica | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Clayton, J.W.; Fernando, E.S.; Soltis, P.S.; Soltis, D.E. (2007). "Molecular phylogeny of the Tree-of-Heaven family (Simaroubaceae) based on chloroplast and nuclear markers". Int. J. Plant Sci. 168 (9): 1325–1339. doi:10.1086/521796. S2CID 86016778.
  9. ↑ "Samadera GRIN-Global". npgsweb.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Samadera noun". Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Samadera Gaertn". Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-07-17 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Samadera Gaertn". World Flora Online. World Flora Online Consortium. 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Brummitt, R.K. (2001). World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (PDF) (2nd ed.). International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases For Plant Sciences. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Oldfield, S. (2020). "Quassia indica : e.T117895344A117895375". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Species profile | Environment, land and water Species profile—Samadera bidwillii". apps.des.qld.gov.au. Queensland Government. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Chopra., R. N.; Nayar, S. L.; Chopra, I. C. (1986). Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). New Delhi: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
  17. ↑ Fukamiya, N.; Lee, K.; Muhammad, I.; Murakami, C.; Okano, M.; Harvey, I.; et al. (2005). "Structure-activity relationships of quassinoids for eukaryotic protein synthesis". Cancer Lett. 220 (1): 37–48. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2004.04.023. PMID 15737686.
  18. ↑ Daido, M.; Ohno, N.; Imamura, K.; Fukamiya, N.; Hatakoshi, M.; Yamazaki, H.; et al. (1995). "Antifeedant and insecticidal activity of quassinoids against the diamondback moth (Plutela xylostella) and structure-activity relationships". Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 59 (6): 974–9. doi:10.1271/bbb.59.974.
  19. ↑ De Feo, V.; Martino, L.; Quaranta, E.; Pizza, C. (2003). "Isolation of phytotoxic compounds from tree-of heaven (Ailanthus altissima Swingle)". J. Agric. Food Chem. 51 (5): 1177–80. doi:10.1021/jf020686+. PMID 12590453.
  20. ↑ Apers, S.; Cimanga, K.; Berghe, D.V.; Meenen, E.V.; Longanga, A.O.; Foriers, A.; et al. (2002). "Antiviral activity of simalikalactone D, a quassinoid from Quassia africana". Planta Med. 68 (1): 20–4. doi:10.1055/s-2002-19870. PMID 11842321. S2CID 260284246.
  21. ↑ Nunomura, R.C.; Silva, E.C.; Oliveira, D.F.; Garcia, A.M.; Boeloni, J.N.; Nunomura, S.M.; et al. (2006). "In-vitro studies of the anthelmintic activity of Picrolemma sprucei Hook. f. (Simaroubaceae)". Acta Amaz. 36 (3): 327–30. doi:10.1590/S0044-59672006000300006.
  22. ↑ Wright, C.W. (2005). "Traditional antimalarial and development of novel antimalarial drugs". J. Ethnopharmacol. 100 (1–2): 67–71. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.012. PMID 16023812.
  23. ↑ Govindachari, T.R.; Krishnakumari, G.N.; Gopalakrishnan, G.; Suresh, G.; Wesley, S.D.; Sreelatha, T. (2001). "Insect antifeedant and growth regulating activities of quassinoids from Samadera indica". Fitoterapia. 72 (5): 568–71. doi:10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00342-7. PMID 11429258.
  24. ↑ Viswanad, Vidya; Aleykutty, N.A.; Jaykar, B.; Zachariah, S.M.; Thomas, L. (2011). "Studies on antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Methanolic extract of Samadera indica". Int J Pharma Sci Rev Res. 11: 59–64.
  25. 1 2 Viswanad, Vidya; Aleykutty, N. A.; Jayakar, B.; Zacharia, Subin Mary; Thomas, Litha (April–June 2012). "Development and evaluation of antimicrobial herbal formulations containing the methanolic extract of Samadera indica for skin diseases". J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 3 (2): 106–111. doi:10.4103/2231-4040.97285. PMC 3401671. PMID 22837958.