''Azadirachta excelsa'', commonly known as sentang,
[ is a tree in the mahogany family ]Meliaceae
Meliaceae, the mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs (and a few herbaceous plants, mangroves) in the order Sapindales.
They are characterised by alternate, usually pinnate leaves without stipules, and by syncarp ...
. The specific epithet
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
' is from the Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
meaning 'lofty'.[
]
Description
''Azadirachta excelsa'' grows up to tall with a trunk diameter of up to . Its bark is pinkish grey or pinkish brown. The sweetly scented flowers are creamy-white. Its fruits are ellipsoid, green turning yellow at maturity, up to long.[
]
Distribution and habitat
''Azadirachta excelsa'' is native to Malesia
Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. It is a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical kingdom. It was first recognized as a distinct region ...
and Vietnam.[
]
See also
* Azadirachta indica
''Azadirachta indica'', commonly known as neem, margosa, nimtree or Indian lilac, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of the two species in the genus ''Azadirachta''. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and to parts of Sout ...
(neem)
References
excelsa
Trees of Malesia
Trees of Vietnam
Plants described in 1820
Taxa named by William Jack (botanist)
{{Meliaceae-stub