''Schinus'' is a genus of flowering

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s and tall

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as pepper trees. The Peruvian pepper tree ('' Schinus molle'') is the source of the spice known as pink peppercorns. Some species (e.g. '' Schinus terebinthifolia'') have become an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

outside their natural habitats. ''

Schinus polygama ''Schinus polygama'', the Hardee peppertree or Chilean pepper tree, is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae native to Argentina and Chile and naturalized in California. Taxonomy The species name has been spelled ''Schinus polygamus'', ...

'', although less well known, is also potentially weedy in mesic areas.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek word for ''

Pistacia lentiscus ''Pistacia lentiscus'' (also lentisk or mastic) is a dioecious evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus ''Pistacia'' native to the Mediterranean Basin. It grows up to tall and is cultivated for its aromatic resin, mainly on the Greek islan ...

'', Σχίνος (''schinos''), which it resembles. There has been considerable historic confusion as to the correct gender of the genus name; as of 2015 this has been resolved with the determination that the correct gender of ''Schinus'' is feminine (rather than masculine), and adjectival names within the genus must be spelled accordingly.Zona, S. (2015). The correct gender of ''Schinus'' (Anacardiaceae). Phytotaxa, 222(1), 75–77. doi:https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.222.1.9

Taxonomy

Over time there has been a fair amount of reclassification within this genus and earlier names may incorrectly continue to be used by those unaware of changes, including in some cases government departments and even textbooks. The name ''Schinus areira'' remains widespread, in Australia (the peppercorn tree) in particular, but this is now considered to be a variety of '' Schinus molle'' (var. ''areira'').

Selected species

*''

Schinus engleri ''Schinus engleri'' is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by wh ...

'' Barkley (

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, and

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

) *''

Schinus fasciculata ''Schinus'' is a genus of flowering trees and tall shrubs in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as pepper trees. The Peruvian pepper tree (''Schinus molle'') is the source of the spice known as pink pepperco ...

'' (Griseb.) I.M.Johnst. *'' Schinus latifolia'' (Gillies ex Lindl.) Engl. *'' Schinus molle'' L. (=''S. huygan'') – Peruvian pepper tree (Western

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

) **''Schinus molle'' var. ''areira'' (L.) DC. (=''S. areira'') **''Schinus molle'' var. ''molle'' *'' Schinus pearcei'' Engler (

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

, and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

) *''

'' (Cav.) Cabrera (=''S. dentata'', ''S. dependens'') (southern South America) *'' Schinus terebinthifolia'' Raddi – Brazilian pepper tree (southeastern

, northern Argentina, and

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

) **''Schinus terebinthifolia var. acutifolia'' Engl. **''Schinus terebinthifolia'' var. ''pohliana'' Engl. **''Schinus terebinthifolia'' var. ''raddiana'' Engl. **''Schinus terebinthifolia'' var. ''rhoifolia'' (Mart.) Engl. (=''S. aroiera'', ''S. rhoifolia'') **''Schinus terebinthifolia'' var. ''terebinthifolia'' *'' Schinus venturi'' Barkley (Argentina and Bolivia) *'' Schinus weinmanniifolia'' Mart. ex Engl.

Formerly placed here

*'' Cuscuta myricoides'' (L.) Druce (as ''S. myricoides'' L.) *''

Limonia acidissima ''Limonia acidissima'' is the only species within the monotypic genus ''Limonia''. Common names for the species in English include wood-apple and elephant-apple. It is sometimes also called monkey fruit. Description ''Limonia acidissima'' is a l ...

'' L. (as ''S. limonia'' L.) *''

Lithraea molleoides ''Lithraea molleoides'' ( syn. ''Lithraea molleoides'' var. ''lorentziana'' Lillo, ''Lithraea ternifolia'', ''Schinus brasiliensis'' Marchand ex Cabrera, ''Schinus leucocarpus'' M., ''Schinus molleoides'' ( Vell.) Engler, ''Lithraea aroeir ...

'' (Vell.) Engl. (as ''S. molleoides'' Vell.) *''

Zanthoxylum fagara ''Zanthoxylum fagara'' or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus ''Citrus'' with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is native to sout ...

'' (L.) Sarg. (as ''S. fagara'' L.)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q786249 Anacardiaceae genera