# Merrillia

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Genus of trees

Merrillia Conservation status Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Sapindales Family: Rutaceae Subfamily: Aurantioideae Genus: Merrillia Swingle Species: M. caloxylon Binomial name Merrillia caloxylon (Ridl.) Swingle Synonyms[2] Murraya caloxylon Ridl.

***Merrillia*** is a [monotypic genus](/source/Monotypic_taxon)[1] of flowering plants in the [citrus](/source/Citrus) family, [Rutaceae](/source/Rutaceae), containing the single species ***Merrillia caloxylon***. Its [English language](/source/English_language) common names include **flowering merrillia**, **katinga**, and **Malay lemon**. In [Malaysia](/source/Malaysia) it is called ***ketenggah*** and ***kemuning gajah***.[3] The species is native to Malaysia, [Thailand](/source/Thailand), and [Sumatra](/source/Sumatra) in [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia).[2]

This species is a member of the Rutaceae [subfamily](/source/Subfamily) [Aurantioideae](/source/Aurantioideae), which includes the genus *[Citrus](/source/Citrus)*.[4] It has been placed as the only genus and species in the subtribe **Merrilliinae**, which are known technically as the **large-fruited remote citroid fruit trees**.[5] The genus is sunk into *[Murraya](/source/Murraya)* by some sources,[6] but accepted in a 2021 classification of the Rutaceae.[4]

## Description

This species is a [tree](/source/Tree) often reaching up to 20 meters tall, sometimes approaching 30 meters.[3] One report from 1932 mentions a specimen collected from a tree 33.6 meters tall. If the report is valid it would be the largest tree of the Aurantioideae. The trunk has a light, flaking [bark](/source/Bark_(botany)). The leaves can exceed 20 centimeters in length,[7] and each is made up of 5 to 13 leaflets up to about 10 centimeters long, the basal ones smaller than the others. They are thin, bright green, and somewhat lance-shaped with triangular bases.[7] The flowers are solitary, paired,[3] or borne in [panicles](/source/Panicle).[7] They are white to yellow-green and trumpet-shaped with petals up to 1.8 centimeters long. The oblong fruit is up to 11 centimeters long by 7.5 wide.[3] It has a warty [peel](/source/Peel_(fruit)) over a centimeter thick. It is green, turning yellow with maturity. The fruit contains a tasteless, fibrous, olive-green pulp.[7]

The native habitat of the tree includes primary and secondary tropical forest.[3]

## Uses

The species has been noted for its [wood](/source/Wood), which is bright yellow with dark brown streaks. It is a hard wood used historically in Malaysia to make [walking sticks](/source/Walking_stick) and [kris](/source/Kris) handles. It was also good for making [furniture](/source/Furniture) and boxes. The species was too rare to provide a supply of commercial timber.[7]

Several [coumarins](/source/Coumarin) have been isolated from the roots, including one named [merrillin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merrillin&action=edit&redlink=1).[8] The [alkaloid](/source/Alkaloid) [yuehchukene](/source/Yuehchukene) has been found in the bark; it is a compound well known from the related genus *[Murraya](/source/Murraya)*.[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_15_November_2021_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_15_November_2021_1-1) World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). ["*Merrillia caloxylon*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/32108/9679768). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **1998** e.T32108A9679768. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32108A9679768.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32108A9679768.en). Retrieved 15 November 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-grin_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-grin_2-1) ["*Merrillia caloxylon*"](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=24110). *[Germplasm Resources Information Network](/source/Germplasm_Resources_Information_Network)*. [Agricultural Research Service](/source/Agricultural_Research_Service), [United States Department of Agriculture](/source/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture). Retrieved 21 January 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-lim_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-lim_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-lim_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-lim_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-lim_3-4) Lim, T. K. (2012). [*Merrillia caloxylon*.](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-4053-2_102#page-1) In: *Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants*. Springer Netherlands. 890-92.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AppeBaylHeslGrop21_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AppeBaylHeslGrop21_4-1) Appelhans, Marc S.; Bayly, Michael J.; Heslewood, Margaret M.; Groppo, Milton; Verboom, G. Anthony; Forster, Paul I.; Kallunki, Jacquelyn A. & Duretto, Marco F. (2021). "A new subfamily classification of the *Citrus* family (Rutaceae) based on six nuclear and plastid markers". *Taxon*. **70** (5): 1035–1061. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/tax.12543](https://doi.org/10.1002%2Ftax.12543). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11343/288824](https://hdl.handle.net/11343%2F288824).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ucr_5-0)** [Citrus Variety Collection.](http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/citrus.html) University of California, Riverside.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-POWO_ID_6-0)** ["*Merrillia* Swingle"](http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:ID), *Plants of the World Online*, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2021-09-23[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ucr-mc_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ucr-mc_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ucr-mc_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ucr-mc_7-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ucr-mc_7-4) [Citrus Variety Collection: *Merrillia caloxylon*.](http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/merrillia.html) University of California, Riverside.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bin_8-0)** Bin Zakaria, M., et al. (1989). [Coumarins of *Merrillia caloxylon*.](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0031942289800809) *Phytochemistry* 28(2), 657-59.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-kong_9-0)** Kong, Y., et al. (1988). [The biochemical systematics of *Merrillia*; in relation to *Murraya*, the Clauseneae and the Aurantioideae.](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0305197888901160) *Biochemical Systematics and Ecology* 16(1), 47-50.

Taxon identifiers Merrillia Wikidata: Q1592166 Wikispecies: Merrillia BOLD: 437758 CoL: 5PFH EoL: 5624505 EPPO: 1MEJG GBIF: 7269618 GRIN: 7480 iNaturalist: 185932 IPNI: 35828-1 IRMNG: 1374569 NCBI: 159054 Open Tree of Life: 755707 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:35828-1 Tropicos: 40017513 WFO: wfo-4000023814 Merrillia caloxylon Wikidata: Q1335033 Wikispecies: Murraya caloxylon BOLD: 437759 CoL: 3ZWPZ EoL: 5624506 EPPO: MEJCA GBIF: 3838164 GRIN: 24110 iNaturalist: 185934 IPNI: 774356-1 IUCN: 32108 Open Tree of Life: 755709 Plant List: tro-50199630 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:774356-1 Tropicos: 50199630 WFO: wfo-0001261696

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