Terminalia | |
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Terminalia catappa | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Combretaceae |
Genus: | Terminalia L. [1] |
Synonyms [1] | |
26 synonyms
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Terminalia is a genus of large trees of the flowering plant family Combretaceae, comprising nearly 300 species distributed in tropical regions of the world. [2] The genus name derives from the Latin word terminus, referring to the fact that the leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots. [3]
Axlewood (T. latifolia) is used for its wood and tannins and as a fodder. [4] African birch (T. leiocarpa) is used for its wood and to make yellow dye and medicinal compounds. [5] A yellow dyestuff produced from the leaves of T. leiocarpa has traditionally been used in West Africa to dye leather. [6]
There are 278 accepted Terminalia species as of July 2024 according to Plants of the World Online. [2] Selected species include: