Meliaceae - Mahogany family

Trees or shrubs. Stipules 0. Leaves (in ours) alternate, simple (Turraea) or compound. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, but well-developed sterile vestiges of the non-functional sex may be present, actinomorphic, mostly 4-5-merous. Sepals 4-6, connate to ± free. Petals usually 4-5, free. Disk present. Stamens (5-)8-10(-20), usually partly or completely fused to form a staminal tube and usually bearing appendages. Ovary superior, (2-)4-5(-20)-locular. Style 1. Fruit a capsule or drupe. Seeds usually with an aril, winged or with a corky or woody outer covering.

Worldwide: 51 genera and 565 species mostly tropical with a few subtropical.

Malawi: 2 cultivated genera and 2 cultivated taxa.