''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

family,

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

evidence has placed it in a unique clade named the ''Andira'' clade. Compared to other Faboideae the genus has unusual systems of

root nodule Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria known a ...

s and fruits, which are

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...

s. In most species the fruits are dispersed by bats, and in some they are dispersed by rodents. They may also be dispersed on water. Plants of the genus are used in traditional medicine in Brazil to treat fever and as purgatives and vermifuges. The treatments are toxic in high doses, however. Chemical compounds isolated from the genus include

isoflavones Isoflavones are substituted derivatives of isoflavone, a type of naturally occurring isoflavonoids, many of which act as phytoestrogens in mammals. Isoflavones are produced almost exclusively by the members of the bean family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae) ...

, flavanols, glycosides, pterocarpans,

chromone Chromone (or 1,4-benzopyrone) is a derivative of benzopyran with a substituted keto group on the pyran ring. It is an isomer of coumarin. Derivatives of chromone are collectively known as ''chromones''. Most, though not all, chromones are also ...

, and ursolic acid.

Species

''Andira'' comprises the following species: * ''

Andira acuminata ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Benth. * '' Andira anthelmia'' (Vell.) J.F. Macbr. * '' Andira bahiensis'' N.F. Mattos * '' Andira carvalhoi'' R.T. Penn. & H.C. Lima * '' Andira cordata'' R.T. Penn. & H.C. Lima * '' Andira coriacea'' Pulle—St. Martin rouge * '' Andira cubensis'' Benth. * '' Andira cuiabensis'' Benth. * '' Andira fraxinifolia'' Benth. * '' Andira frondosa'' C. Mart. * '' Andira galeottiana'' Standl. * ''

Andira grandistipula ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecul ...

'' Amshoff * '' Andira handroana'' N.F. Mattos * ''

Andira humilis ''Andira humilis'' ( syn. ''Andira laurifolia'' Benth., ''Andira laurifolia'' Benth. var. ''laurifolia'', ''Andira pauciflora'' Benth., ''Andira paucuflora'' Benth.) is a tree native from Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Fede ...

'' Mart. ex Benth. * ''

Andira inermis ''Andira inermis'' is a nitrogen-fixing tree native to the area from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America (Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil); it has been introduced to the Caribbean, the Antilles, Florida, and Africa. Th ...

'' (Wright) DC.—angelin, cabbagebark, cabbagetree ** subsp. ''glabricalyx'' R. T. Penn. ** subsp. ''inermis'' (Wright) DC. ** subsp. ''rooseveltii'' (De Wild.) J. B. Gillett ex Polhill * '' Andira kuhlmannii'' N.F. Mattos * '' Andira landroana'' N.F. Mattos * '' Andira legalis'' (Vell.) Toledo * '' Andira macrothyrsa'' Ducke * '' Andira marauensis'' N.F. Mattos * '' Andira micans'' Taub. * ''

Andira micrantha ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Ducke * '' Andira multistipula'' Ducke * '' Andira nitida'' Benth. * '' Andira ormosioides'' Benth. * '' Andira paniculata'' Benth. * '' Andira parviflora'' Ducke * '' Andira parvifolia'' Benth. * '' Andira pernambucensis'' N.F. Mattos * '' Andira pisonis'' Benth.Some sources treat ''Andira pisonis'' as a synonym of ''Andira fraxinifolia''. * '' Andira riparia'' Kunth * ''

Andira rosea ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Benth. * '' Andira sapindoides'' (DC.) Benth. * '' Andira skolemora'' H. Kost. * ''

Andira spectabilis ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Saldanha * '' Andira spinulosa'' Benth. * '' Andira surinamensis'' (Bondt) Pulle * '' Andira trifoliolata'' Ducke * '' Andira unifoliolata'' Ducke * '' Andira vermifuga'' Benth. * '' Andira villosa'' Kleinhoonte * ''

Andira zehntneri ''Andira'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is distributed in the tropical Americas, except for ''A. inermis'', which also occurs in Africa. It was formerly assigned to the tribe Dalbergieae, but recent molecular ...

'' Harms

''Nomina Dubia''

The following species are of uncertain validity: * ''Andira araroba (Aguiar.)'' See

Araroba powder Araroba powder, also known as Bahia powder and Goa powder, is a drug occurring in the form of a yellowish-brown powder, varying considerably in tint, from the Portugal, Portuguese colony of Goa, where it appears to have been introduced about the ye ...

Mrs. M. Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
* ''Andira chigorodensis'' R.T.Penn. * ''Andira chiricana'' Pittier * ''Andira harfieldii'' Leschenault de la Tour * ''Andira jaliscensis'' R.T. Penn. * ''Andira macrocarpa'' R.T.Penn. * ''Andira microcarpa'' Griseb. * ''Andira oblonga'' Benth. * ''Andira praecox'' Arroyo ex R.T. Penn. * ''Andira taurotesticulata'' R.T. Penn. * ''Andira tervequinata'' R.T. Penn., G.A. Aymard & Cuello Andira fraxinifolia

Flickr - João de Deus Medeiros - Andira vermifuga

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2576870 Faboideae Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Fabaceae genera