Many tropical species of the family Meliaceae are important timber trees. The best known, Swietenia mahagoni (West Indian mahogany), is one of the world’s most valuable woods. Swietenia macrophylla (Honduras mahogany), from Mexico to Bolivia, is also well known. Other valuable timbers of Meliaceae from the American tropics are derived from species of Cedrela; C. odorata (West Indian cedar), for example, is the source of wood used for making cigar boxes.

The six or seven species of Khaya in tropical Africa and Madagascar, including K. senegalensis (African mahogany), produce a wood like that of mahogany, as do the nine species of omu, sapele, and utile mahoganies (Entandrophragma). Important Asian timber trees are Toona ciliata (Australian red cedar, or Indian mahogany; grown throughout South Asia, New Guinea, and Australia), Chukrasia tabularis (Chittagong wood; grown in China and Indo-Malaysia), and Soymida febrifuga (Indian redwood; grown in Indo-Malaysia). Dysoxylum fraserianum (Australian mahogany) is a timber tree of the forests of northern and eastern Australia. The wood of these genera, all of Meliaceae, is typically reddish in colour, lustrous, easy to work, and free of warping under changes in relative humidity. Such characteristics make the wood highly suited for cabinetmaking.

Some species of Meliaceae have medicinal properties. The bark of the Indo-Malaysian Azadirachta indica (neem) is astringent and may also be used to make an insecticide. The bark of Guarea rusbyi (cocillana) from South America is an emetic. The seeds of other species yield useful oils. Several species of Carapa produce oils used for soap: in South America C. guianensis (crabwood), in Indo-Malaysia C. procera, and in East Africa Trichilia emetica (cape mahogany). The seeds of the Malayan Chisocheton macrophyllus are a source of an oil used for burning in lamps.

A few members of Meliaceae have edible fruits. Popular in Southeast Asia are Lansium domesticum (langsat) and Sandoricum koetjape (santol), while the flowers of Aglaia odorata are used in East Asia to flavour tea. Melia azedarach (chinaberry, or China tree), a Himalayan tree, is widely grown as an ornamental and is particularly common in the southeastern United States. It has clusters of fragrant lilac-coloured flowers and attractive but poisonous yellow berries.

Rutaceae

As with Sapindaceae, members of Rutaceae are best known for their fruits. Citrus is the most important genus in the family; its fruits are an important source of vitamin C. A genus of small evergreen trees from South China to Indo-Malaysia, Citrus species are now cultivated throughout the warm temperate and tropical areas of the world, especially Citrus aurantifolia (lime), C. aurantium (Seville orange), C. limon (lemon), C. medica (citron), C. nobilis (mandarin orange), C. paradisi (grapefruit), C. reticulata (tangerine), and C. sinensis (sweet orange). A few other genera also yield edible fruits. Aegle marmelos (bel fruit), Fortunella japonica (kumquat), and Limonia acidissima (elephant apple) have fruits that are widely eaten, while those of Zanthoxylum piperitum (Japanese pepper) are used as a condiment.

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The fruits of Aegle are used medicinally, as are those of Poncirus trifoliata (Chinese hardy orange). Many species of Rutaceae have bitter bark that is medicinal, including the tropical American Angostura febrifuga (angostura) and Galipea officinalis (casparia). The bark of several North American species of Zanthoxylum is chewed for toothache relief.

Essential oils found in the tissues of Rutaceae are the source of the characteristic flavours of fruits, bark, gums, and leaves. The leaves of Ruta graveolens (rue) are a flavouring herb in Europe, and oil of rue is distilled from them. Leaves of Murraya koenigii (curry leaf) are used in curries. Citrus oils are commonly expressed from the rinds of different citrus fruits or from their flowers. Perhaps the best known is oil of neroli from the Seville orange, widely used in perfumery in France.

A few species of Rutaceae are grown as ornamentals in temperate regions. Poncirus is a spiny hedge shrub; Skimmia japonica (Japanese skimmia) and S. reevesiana (Chinese skimmia) have white flowers and red berries; the North American Ptelea trifoliata (hop tree) has attractive winged fruits; and the northeast Asian Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork tree) is a valuable shade tree. Dictamnus albus (burning bush) is one of the few members of the family that is not woody. This poisonous perennial herb, native from southern Europe to northern China, is grown not only for its attractive whitish flowers but also for its ethereal oil; the glands of this plant can be squeezed and the oil expressed into the air and ignited by a match—hence the common name.

Only a few species of Rutaceae are important timber trees. The Indo-Malaysian Chloroxylon swietenia (satinwood), eastern Australian Flindersia oxleyana (Australian yellowwood), and Caribbean Zanthoxylum flavum (West Indian silkwood) are used for veneering and cabinetmaking.