Ailanthus Desf., nom. cons.

Trees, tall, fast-growing, sometimes deciduous; young parts brownish-hairy; ranches thick, pithy. Leaves large, long-petioled, imparipinnate, usually crowded at ends of branches; leaflets opposite to subopposite, petiolulate, oblique, entire or toothed, acuminate, usually glandular beneath. Flowers in axillary or terminal branched panicles, usually unisexual; male flowers foetid during anthesis. Calyx small, 5-lobed. Petals 5, oblong, concave, longer than calyx. Disk 10-lobed, thick, flat. Stamens 10 in male flowers; filaments subulate, reduced or absent in female flowers. Carpels 2 - 5, free, flat, rudimentary or absent in male flowers; styles free or connate; stigma peltate. Fruits 1 - 5, linear or oblong-lanceolate samaras; wing membranous; seed, orbicular or obovate, flat.

Tropical and subtropical areas of Asia and Australia with 5 species; 4 species in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Leaflets usually entire

2

b. Leaflets usually toothed

3

2a. Leaves with large glands on lower surface near base; petals puberulous

3. Ailanthus integrifolia

b. Leaves with amall hairy glands on lower surface near margins; petals glabrous

4. Ailanthus triphysa

3a. Petiolules less than 1 cm long; petals woolly

1. Ailanthus altissima

b. Petiolules more than 1.5 cm long; petals glabrous

2. Ailanthus excelsa

List of Lower Taxa