Sorry, there are no multimedia or other resources available for this species yet.

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Chinaberry Tree, White Cedar [NZ and Australia], Persian Lilac, Indian Lilac, Pride of India, Umbrella Tree; German Indischer Zedrachbaum TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tīra (RR MG AT MK MT AK); Other Polynesian - Tīra (TAH), Miro Tahiti (Rapanui); COMMENT: Tīra is probably a transliteration of Cedar, the NZ and Australian name for this species. Tīra is also said to be derived from "tira", meaning "mast" or "penis", although the pronunciation of the two words differ. (needs further investigation, GM 3/2004) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE tropical Asia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent (c.1860), Naturalised; Land, lowlands SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Material (Firewood); Weed - moderate, Poisonous to eat - serious SIMILAR SPECIES: Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica) has non-branched pinnate leaves (vs. branched pinnate leaves); has white flowers (vs. mauve).

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+++	++++	P	+	+	++	-		-

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Melia azedarach Linnaeus
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Sapindales; MELIACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Material (Firewood). Comments: MATERIAL: Timber lasting, white to brown striped, easily worked and dressed, straight grained, splitting. Centre of trunk often rotted. Acid in sap dissolves iron. Elsewhere leaves soaked in water to make an insecticide.
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Weed - moderate, Poisonous to eat - serious. Comments: Scattered in waste and long-fallow areas. Eating the fruit causes vomiting, retching, diarrhea, anorexia and increased salivation accompanied by irregular respiration, weakness, muscle cramps and in more serious cases, seizures. Initial treatment - cause vomiting, consult a doctor. Toxins are Tetranortriterpenes.

GENERAL NOTE: The fruits contain a narcotic poison which attacks the central nervous system. Children, poultry and pigs have been seriously sickened by eating the fruits. (Arnold 1968)

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.918 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.491 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.641 Tropica
p.3/529 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.275 R* Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.64 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.404g Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

Data Update History (information):
zB02

Web Resources

• Google
• Google Images