# Amyris

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For other uses, see [Amyris of Sybaris (disambiguation)](/source/Amyris_of_Sybaris_(disambiguation)).

***Amyris*** is a genus of [flowering plants](/source/Flowering_plant) in the [citrus](/source/Citrus) family, [Rutaceae](/source/Rutaceae).[2] The generic name is derived from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) word αμυρων (**amyron**), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the [resin](/source/Resin).[3] Members of the genus are commonly known as **torchwoods**[4] because of their highly flammable wood.[5]

## Species

As of September 2021, [Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) accepted the following species:[6]

- *[Amyris abeggii](/source/Amyris_abeggii)* Ekman ex Urb.
- *[Amyris amazonica](/source/Amyris_amazonica)* Cornejo & Kallunki
- *[Amyris apiculata](/source/Amyris_apiculata)* Urb. & Ekman
- *[Amyris attenuata](/source/Amyris_attenuata)* Standl.
- *[Amyris balsamifera](/source/Amyris_balsamifera)* L. – balsam torchwood
- *[Amyris barbata](/source/Amyris_barbata)* Lundell
- *[Amyris brachybotrys](/source/Amyris_brachybotrys)* Turcz.
- *[Amyris brenesii](/source/Amyris_brenesii)* Standl.
- *[Amyris carterae](/source/Amyris_carterae)* Rebman & F.Chiang
- *[Amyris centinelensis](/source/Amyris_centinelensis)* Cornejo
- *[Amyris chiapensis](/source/Amyris_chiapensis)* Lundell
- *[Amyris conzattii](/source/Amyris_conzattii)* Standl.
- *[Amyris cordata](/source/Amyris_cordata)* I.M.Johnst.
- *[Amyris crebrinervis](/source/Amyris_crebrinervis)* Gereau
- *[Amyris cubensis](/source/Amyris_cubensis)* (Borhidi & Acuña) Beurton
- *[Amyris diatrypa](/source/Amyris_diatrypa)* Spreng. – hairy torchwood
- *[Amyris elemifera](/source/Amyris_elemifera)* L. – sea torchwood
- *[Amyris filipes](/source/Amyris_filipes)* Lundell
- *[Amyris granulata](/source/Amyris_granulata)* Urb.
- *[Amyris guatemalensis](/source/Amyris_guatemalensis)* Lundell
- *[Amyris guianensis](/source/Amyris_guianensis)* Aubl.
- *[Amyris humboldtii](/source/Amyris_humboldtii)* Krug & Urb.
- *[Amyris ignea](/source/Amyris_ignea)* Steyerm.
- *[Amyris intermedia](/source/Amyris_intermedia)* Urb. & Ekman
- *[Amyris jorgemeavei](/source/Amyris_jorgemeavei)* Hern.-Barón, Espejo, Pérez-García, Cerros & López-Ferr.
- *[Amyris karlitae](/source/Amyris_karlitae)* W.Palacios
- *[Amyris lineata](/source/Amyris_lineata)* C.Wright ex Griseb.
- *[Amyris lurida](/source/Amyris_lurida)* Lundell
- *[Amyris macrocarpa](/source/Amyris_macrocarpa)* Gereau
- *[Amyris madrensis](/source/Amyris_madrensis)* S.Watson – mountain torchwood
- *[Amyris magnifolia](/source/Amyris_magnifolia)* Gómez-Laur. & Q.Jiménez
- *[Amyris marshii](/source/Amyris_marshii)* Standl.
- *[Amyris metopioides](/source/Amyris_metopioides)* Zanoni & M.M.Mejía
- *[Amyris mexicana](/source/Amyris_mexicana)* Lundell
- *[Amyris monophylla](/source/Amyris_monophylla)* Brandegee
- *[Amyris multijuga](/source/Amyris_multijuga)* Turcz.
- *[Amyris oblanceolata](/source/Amyris_oblanceolata)* A.Pool
- *[Amyris pernambucensis](/source/Amyris_pernambucensis)* Arruda
- *[Amyris phlebotaenioides](/source/Amyris_phlebotaenioides)* Urb. & Ekman
- *[Amyris pinnata](/source/Amyris_pinnata)* Kunth
- *[Amyris plumieri](/source/Amyris_plumieri)* DC.
- *[Amyris polymorpha](/source/Amyris_polymorpha)* Urb.
- *[Amyris polyneura](/source/Amyris_polyneura)* Urb.
- *[Amyris pungens](/source/Amyris_pungens)* Urb.
- *[Amyris purpusii](/source/Amyris_purpusii)* P.Wilson
- *[Amyris rekoi](/source/Amyris_rekoi)* S.F.Blake
- *[Amyris rhomboidea](/source/Amyris_rhomboidea)* Standl.
- *[Amyris robinsonii](/source/Amyris_robinsonii)* DC.
- *[Amyris roseomaculata](/source/Amyris_roseomaculata)* Hern.-Barón, Cerros, M.González, Espejo & López-Ferr.
- *[Amyris sandemanii](/source/Amyris_sandemanii)* Sandwith
- *[Amyris staminosa](/source/Amyris_staminosa)* Lundell
- *[Amyris stromatophylla](/source/Amyris_stromatophylla)* P.Wilson
- *[Amyris terebinthifolia](/source/Amyris_terebinthifolia)* Ten.
- *[Amyris texana](/source/Amyris_texana)* (Buckley) P.Wilson – Texas torchwood, chapotillo
- *[Amyris thyrsiflora](/source/Amyris_thyrsiflora)* Turcz.
- *[Amyris trimera](/source/Amyris_trimera)* Krug & Urb.
- *[Amyris vestita](/source/Amyris_vestita)* Lundell

### Formerly placed here

- *[Atalantia simplicifolia](/source/Atalantia_simplicifolia)* (Roxb.) Engl. (as *A. simplicifolia* Roxb.)
- *[Boswellia papyrifera](/source/Boswellia_papyrifera)* (Delile ex Caill.) Hochst. (as *A. papyrifera* Delile ex Caill.)
- *[Bursera excelsa](/source/Bursera_excelsa)* (as *A. elegans*)
- *[Canarium zeylanicum](/source/Canarium_zeylanicum)* (Retz.) Blume (as *A. zeylanica* Retz.)
- *[Clausena anisata](/source/Clausena_anisata)* (Willd.) Hook.f. (as *A. anisata* Willd. or *A. dentata* Willd.)
- *[Clausena heptaphylla](/source/Clausena_heptaphylla)* (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn. ex Steud. (as *A. heptaphylla* Roxb. ex DC.)
- *[Commiphora gileadensis](/source/Commiphora_gileadensis)* (L.) C.Chr. (as *A. gileadensis* L. or *A. opobalsamum* L.)
- *[Commiphora kataf](/source/Commiphora_kataf)* (Forssk.) Engl. (as *A. kataf* Forssk.)
- *[Metopium toxiferum](/source/Metopium_toxiferum)* (L.) Krug & Urb. (as *A. toxifera* L.)
- *[Schinus polygama](/source/Schinus_polygama)* (Cav.) Cabrera (as *A. polygama* Cav.)[7]

## Uses

The [trunks](/source/Trunk_(botany)) of *Amyris* species exude [elemi](/source/Elemi), a type of balsam ([oleoresin](/source/Resin)) that contains elemic acids, liquid [sesquiterpenes](/source/Sesquiterpene), and [triterpenes](/source/Triterpene) such as [α-](/source/%CE%91-amyrin) and [β-amyrin](/source/%CE%92-amyrin) among other components.[8] It is used [medicinally](/source/Herbalism)[citation needed] and in [lacquers](/source/Lacquer). The wood is often used for [torches](/source/Torch) and [firewood](/source/Firewood). Its high [resin](/source/Resin) content causes it to burn brightly, and it will burn well even when green. In addition, the wood is hard, heavy, close-[grained](/source/Wood_grain), can take a high polish, and repels dry wood [termites](/source/Termite). [Essential oils](/source/Essential_oil) containing [caryophyllene](/source/Caryophyllene), [cadinene](/source/Cadinene), and [cadinol](/source/Cadinol) are extracted from *[A. balsamifera](/source/Amyris_balsamifera)* and *[A. elemifera](/source/Amyris_elemifera)*. These are used in [varnishes](/source/Varnish), [perfumes](/source/Perfume), medicines, [cosmetics](/source/Cosmetics), [soaps](/source/Soap), and [incense](/source/Incense).[5]

Chemical compounds known as chromenylated amides isolated from *Amyris plumieri* have shown some inhibition of the [cytochrome P450](/source/Cytochrome_P450) enzymes.[9]

## References

1. ["*Amyris* P. Browne"](http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40012948). *TROPICOS*. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-12-28.

1. ["Genus: *Amyris* P. Browne"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100528171346/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?582). *Germplasm Resources Information Network*. United States Department of Agriculture. 2008-03-21. Archived from [the original](http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?582) on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2009-11-30.

1. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). [*CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names*](https://books.google.com/books?id=esMPU5DHEGgC). Vol. I: A-C. CRC Press. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-8493-2675-2.

1. Austin, Daniel F. (2004). [*Florida Ethnobotany*](https://books.google.com/books?id=eS7lX_rC3GEC). CRC Press. pp. 88–91. ISBN 978-0-8493-2332-4.

1. ["*Amyris* P.Browne"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:326633-2). *Plants of the World Online*. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2021-09-15.

1. ["GRIN Species Records of *Amyris*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20001102112231/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?582). *Germplasm Resources Information Network*. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from [the original](http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?582) on 2000-11-02. Retrieved 2010-09-16.

1. Langenheim, Jean H. (2003). [*Plant Resins: Chemistry, Evolution, Ecology, and Ethnobotany*](https://books.google.com/books?id=zY6tOeej-LAC). Timber Press. pp. 356–358. ISBN 978-0-88192-574-6.

1. Badal, S; Williams, SA; Huang, G; Francis, S; Vendantam, P; Dunbar, O; Jacobs, H; Tzeng, TJ et al. (2011). "Cytochrome P450 1 enzyme inhibition and anticancer potential of chromene amides from Amyris plumieri". *Fitoterapia*. **82** (2): 230–6. [doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2010.10.003](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2010.10.003). [PMID 20951188](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20951188)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Amyris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyris) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyris?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.