MELIACEAE - - Mahogany Family

* Melia azedarach Linnaeus — Chinaberry, Pride-of-India

* not native to the United States

Chinaberry, Pride-of-India (Melia azedarach) - Tree becoming 15 m. tall; leaflets numerous; blades herbaceous, ovate, oval, or elliptic, 3—7 cm. long, incised-serrate or lobed; flowers fragrant; petals lilac-colored, about 1 cm. long; fruit subglobose, 1.5—2 cm. in diameter. Once much used for cabinet-work. Extensively naturalized and very showy when in flower.

Habitat:

Disturbed areas, abandoned rural yards and fields; native to se. Asia (Indomalesia), commonly cultivated in our area (mainly in the Coastal Plain) and commonly escaped. The fruits are sometimes used as beads; they are very poisonous if ingested.

Habitat information from:
Weakley, Alan S., Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States, Working Draft of 21 May 2015.

The range of Melia azedarach (Chinaberry, Pride-of-India)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].

The Georgia range of Melia azedarach (Chinaberry, Pride-of-India)

Zomlefer, W.B., J.R. Carter, & D.E. Giannasi. 2014 (and ongoing). The Atlas of Georgia Plants. University of Georgia Herbarium (Athens, Georgia) and Valdosta State University Herbarium (Valdosta, Georgia). Available at: http://www.georgiaherbaria.org/.