Aglaia Lour.

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A genus of about 110 species, distributed from India, throughout Malesia, to Australia and the Pacific; 36 species in New Guinea (16 endemic), seven species in the Solomon Islands.

Morphology General Habit

Trees and shrubs to 30 m tall, often buttressed, usually sympodially branched, latex often present

Morphology General Indumentum

Indumentum of stellate hairs or peltate scales

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged, usually imparipinnate, rarely simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, sometimes in upper-most axils, sometimes ramiflorous or cauliflorous, paniculate, male inflorescences highly branched, female inflorescences smaller and less branched, bracts and bracteoles present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers unisexual, staminodes and pistillodes present, 3–5-merous; sepals cupular, shallowly or deeply lobed, lobes often unequal, often thickened at the base; petals free or fused at the base, usually yellow; staminal tube, apex without appendages, inserted inside tube, exserted or not; disk absent; ovary 1–3(–10)-locular, ovules 1–2 per locule, style short or absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit indehiscent or tardily loculicidal, capsular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds more or less covered by an aril.

Ecology

The genus is common throughout New Guinea in primary and secondary lowland forest, often in wet habitats such as river banks, swamps and along coasts, from sea level to about 1500 m.

Recognition

Aglaia can be recognised by the usually compound leaves, the indumentum of peltate scales or stellate hairs, the branched inflorescences, the yellow petals and the frequently gingery, capsular fruit.