{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{automatic taxobox |image = Plants of the coast of Coromandel Coast Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh India Flora Fruits Flowers (26).jpg |image_caption = ''Polyalthia suberosa'' |image2 = Phaeanthus malabaricus 02.jpg |image2_caption = ''P. suberosa'' flower |taxon = Polyalthia |authority = Blume |type_species= ''Polyalthia subcordata'' |type_species_authority= (Blume) Blume |synonyms = * ''Haplostichanthus'' {{small|F.Muell.}} * ''Monostichanthus'' {{small|F.Muell.}} * ''Papualthia'' {{small|Diels}} * ''Sphaerothalamus'' {{small|Hook.f.}} * ''Tabraca'' {{small|Noronha}} }}
'''''Polyalthia''''' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Annonaceae. There are approximately 90 species distributed from Africa to Asia and the Pacific.<ref name=foc>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=126338 ''Polyalthia''.] Flora of China.</ref>
These are trees and shrubs. The flower has six petals in two whorls, the inner petals curving inward over the centre.<ref name=foc/>
The name ''Polyalthia'' is derived from a combination of Greek words meaning 'many cures' with reference to the medicinal properties of certain species.<ref name=mccann>{{cite book|last1=McCann|first1=Charles|title=100 Beautiful Trees of India: A Descriptive and Pictorial Handbook|date=1959|publisher=D.B. Taraporevala Sons & Co. Private Ltd.|page=32}}</ref>
==Species== This large genus was known to be polyphyletic, with many species having been separated and reassigned to other genera.<ref>Xue, B., Su, Y. C., Mols, J. B., KEßLER, P. J., & Saunders, R. M. (2011). [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14772000.2010.542497 Further fragmentation of the polyphyletic genus ''Polyalthia'' (Annonaceae): molecular phylogenetic support for a broader delimitation of ''Marsypopetalum''.] ''Systematics and Biodiversity'', 9(1), 17-26.</ref><ref>Xue, B., Su, Y. C. F., Thomas, D. C., & Saunders, R. M. K. (2012). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iapt/tax/2012/00000061/00000005/art00009 Pruning the polyphyletic genus ''Polyalthia'' (Annonaceae) and resurrecting the genus Monoon.] ''Taxon'', 61(5), 1021-1039.</ref> Species have also been transferred into this genus (''e.g. P. malabarica'' from ''Phaeanthus'').
{{As of|2025|1}}, Plants of the World Online accepts the following 98 species:{{R|POWO}} {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *''Polyalthia angustissima'' {{small|Ridl.}} *''Polyalthia barenensis'' {{small|Bân}} *''Polyalthia borneensis'' {{small|Merr.}} *''Polyalthia bracteosa'' {{small|Bân}} *''Polyalthia bromantha'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia brunneifolia'' {{small|J.Sinclair}} *''Polyalthia bullata'' {{small|King}} *''Polyalthia cambodica'' {{small|(Finet & Gagnep.) Wiya & Chaowasku}} *''Polyalthia castanea'' {{small|Ridl.}} *''Polyalthia cauliflora'' {{small|Hook.f. & Thomson}} *''Polyalthia celebica'' {{small|Miq.}} *''Polyalthia chalermglinii'' {{small|Bunchalee & D.M.Johnson}} *''Polyalthia chantaranothaii'' {{small|Bunchalee & Chalermglin}} *''Polyalthia charitopoda'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia chayamaritiana'' {{small|Bunchalee & N.A.Murray}} *''Polyalthia chinii'' {{small|I.M.Turner & Utteridge}} *''Polyalthia chrysotricha'' {{small|Ridl.}} *''Polyalthia cinnamomea'' {{small|Hook.f. & Thomson}} *''Polyalthia clemensiorum'' {{small|Jovet-Ast}} *''Polyalthia corticosa'' {{small|(Pierre) Finet & Gagnep.}} *''Polyalthia debilis'' {{small|(Pierre) Finet & Gagnep.}} *''Polyalthia dictyoneura'' {{small|Diels}} *''Polyalthia dolichopoda'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia dumosa'' {{small|King}} *''Polyalthia elegans'' {{small|K.Schum. & Lauterb.}} *''Polyalthia elliptica'' {{small|(Blume) Blume}} *''Polyalthia endertii'' {{small|D.M.Johnson}} *''Polyalthia evecta'' {{small|(Pierre) Finet & Gagnep.}} *''Polyalthia flagellaris'' {{small|(Becc.) Airy Shaw}} *''Polyalthia fruticosa'' {{small|(Jessup) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia gamopetala'' {{small|Boerl. ex Koord.-Schum.}} *''Polyalthia gracilicolumnaris'' {{small|H.Okada, Tsukaya & Suleiman}} *''Polyalthia gracilipes'' {{small|Merr.}} *''Polyalthia guabatuensis'' {{small|I.M.Turner & Utteridge}} *''Polyalthia guamusangensis'' {{small|I.M.Turner & Utteridge}} *''Polyalthia heliopetala'' {{small|Leerat. & Bunchalee}} *''Polyalthia hirtifolia'' {{small|J.Sinclair}} *''Polyalthia hispida'' {{small|B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia ichthyosma'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia igniflora'' {{small|D.M.Johnson}} *''Polyalthia insignis'' {{small|(Hook.f.) Airy Shaw}} *''Polyalthia intermedia'' {{small|(Pierre) Bân}} *''Polyalthia johnsonii'' {{small|(F.Muell.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia kanchanaburiana'' {{small|Khumch. & Thongp.}} *''Polyalthia khaoyaiensis'' {{small|Bunchalee & Chantar.}} *''Polyalthia kinabaluensis'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia lanceolata'' {{small|S.Vidal}} *''Polyalthia lancilimba'' {{small|C.Y.Wu ex P.T.Li}} *''Polyalthia lasioclada'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia lateritia'' {{small|J.Sinclair}} *''Polyalthia longipedicellata'' {{small|(Alister, G.Rajkumar, Nazarudeen & Pandur.) Shailaj., B.Parthipan, A.K.Sreekala & E.S.S.Kumar}} *''Polyalthia longipes'' {{small|(Miq.) Koord. & Valeton}} *''Polyalthia longirostris'' {{small|(Scheff.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia luzonensis'' {{small|B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia malabarica'' {{small|(Bedd.) I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia meghalayensis'' {{small|V.Prakash & Mehrotra}} *''Polyalthia microsepala'' {{small|Diels}} *''Polyalthia microtus'' {{small|Miq.}} *''Polyalthia miliusoides'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia mindorensis'' {{small|Merr.}} *''Polyalthia miniata'' {{small|Teijsm. & Binn.}} *''Polyalthia minima'' {{small|Jovet-Ast}} *''Polyalthia minutiflora'' {{small|Elmer}} *''Polyalthia monocarpioides'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia montis-silam'' {{small|D.M.Johnson}} *''Polyalthia moonii'' {{small|Thwaites}} *''Polyalthia motleyana'' {{small|(Hook.f.) Airy Shaw}} *''Polyalthia myristica'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia novoguineensis'' {{small|(H.Okada) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia obliqua'' {{small|Hook.f. & Thomson}} *''Polyalthia oblonga'' {{small|King}} *''Polyalthia pakdin'' {{small|I.M.Turner & Utteridge}} *''Polyalthia parviflora'' {{small|Ridl.}} *''Polyalthia persicifolia'' {{small|(Hook.f. & Thomson) Bedd.}} *''Polyalthia pisocarpa'' {{small|(Hassk.) I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia polyphlebia'' {{small|Diels}} *''Polyalthia praeflorens'' {{small|Bân}} *''Polyalthia pumila'' {{small|Ridl.}} *''Polyalthia rufescens'' {{small|Hook.f. & Thomson}} *''Polyalthia saprosma'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia sessiliflora'' {{small|(Ast) Bân}} *''Polyalthia socia'' {{small|Craib}} *''Polyalthia spathulata'' {{small|(Teijsm. & Binn.) Boerl.}} *''Polyalthia stellata'' {{small|(Heusden) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia stenopetala'' {{small|(Hook.f. & Thomson) Finet & Gagnep.}} *''Polyalthia stenophylla'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia subcordata'' {{small|(Blume) Blume}} *''Polyalthia suberosa'' {{small|(Roxb.) Thwaites}} *''Polyalthia submontana'' {{small|(Jessup) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia suthepensis'' {{small|Wiya & Chaowasku}} *''Polyalthia sympetala'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia taweensis'' {{small|Bunchalee & Leerat.}} *''Polyalthia tipuliflora'' {{small|D.M.Johnson}} *''Polyalthia trochilia'' {{small|I.M.Turner}} *''Polyalthia venosa'' {{small|Merr.}} *''Polyalthia watui'' {{small|K.M.Wong}} *''Polyalthia xanthocarpa'' {{small|B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} *''Polyalthia yingjiangensis'' {{small|Y.H.Tan & B.Xue}} {{div col end}}
===Reassigned to other genera=== According to Plants of the World Online, species have been placed in the following genera: * ''Disepalum'' ** ''Polyalthia pingpienensis'' <small>P.T.Li</small> – synonym of ''Disepalum plagioneurum'' (Diels) D.M.Johnson * ''Huberantha'' Chaowasku ** ''Polyalthia cerasoides'' <small>(Roxb.) Bedd.</small> – synonym of ''Huberantha cerasoides'' <small>(Roxb.) Chaowasku</small><ref>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77146148-1 Plants of the World Online (POWO): ''Huberantha cerasoides'' (Roxb.) Chaowasku (retrieved 4 April 2020)]</ref> ** ''Polyalthia korinti'' <small>(Dunal) Benth. & J. Hk. ex J. Hk. & Thoms</small> – synonym of ''Huberantha korinti'' <small>(Dunal) Chaowasku</small> ** ''Polyalthia nitidissima'' – synonym of ''Huberantha nitidissima'' <small>(Dunal) Chaowasku</small> ** ''Polyalthia palawanensis'' <small>Merr.</small> – synonym of ''Huberantha palawanensis'' <small>(Merr.) I.M.Turner</small> * ''Meiogyne'' ** ''Polyalthia laddiana'' <small>A.C.Sm.</small> – synonym of ''Meiogyne laddiana'' <small>(A.C.Sm.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders</small> <!-- Micronesica40:169. --> * ''Monoon'' Miq. ** ''Polyalthia coffeoides'' <small>(Hook.f. & Th.) </small> – synonym of ''Monoon coffeoides'' <small>(Thwaites ex Hook.f. & Thomson) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders</small><ref>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77122997-1 Plants of the World Online (POWO): ''Monoon coffeoides'' (Thwaites ex Hook.f. & Thomson) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders (retrieved 4 April 2020)]</ref> ** ''Polyalthia fragrans'' <small>(Dalz.) Bedd.</small> – synonym of ''Monoon fragrans'' {{small|(Dalzell) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} ** ''Polyalthia glabra'' <small>(Hook.f. & Th.) James Sincl.</small> – synonym of ''Monoon glabrum'' {{small|(Hook.f. & Thomson) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} ** ''Polyalthia hookeriana'' <small>King</small> – synonym of ''Monoon hookerianum'' {{small|(King) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} ** ''Polyalthia hypogaea'' <small>King</small> – synonym of ''Monoon hypogaeum'' {{small|(King) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders}} ** ''Polyalthia longifolia'' <small>(Sonn.) Thwaites</small> – synonym of ''Monoon longifolium'' <small>(Sonn.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders</small><ref>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77123022-1 Plants of the World Online (POWO): ''Monoon longifolium'' (Sonn.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders (retrieved 4 April 2020)]</ref> ** ''Polyalthia pachyphylla'' <small>King</small> – synonym of ''Monoon pachyphyllum'' (King) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders ** ''Polyalthia shendurunii'' <small>Basha & Sasi.</small> is now ''Monoon shendurunii'' <small>(Basha & Sasidh.) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders</small> ** ''Polyalthia simiarum'' <small>(Buch.-Ham. ex Hook.f. & Thomson) Hook.f. & Thomson</small> – synonym of ''Monoon simiarum'' <small>(Buch.-Ham. ex Hook.f. & Thomson) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders</small> * ''Phaeanthus'' ** ''Polyalthia macropoda'' <small>King</small> – synonym of ''Phaeanthus ophthalmicus'' <small>(Roxb. ex G.Don) J.Sinclair</small> * ''Polyalthiopsis'' <small>Chaowasku</small> ** ''Polyalthia floribunda'' <small>Jovet-Ast</small> – synonym of ''Polyalthiopsis floribunda'' <small>(Jovet-Ast) Chaowasku</small> (Vietnam) * ''Wuodendron'' B.Xue, Y.H.Tan & Chaowasku (monotypic) ** ''Polyalthia litseifolia'' <small>C.Y.Wu ex P.T.Li</small> – synonym of ''Wuodendron praecox'' {{small|(Hook.f. & Thomson) B.Xue, Y.H.Tan & X.L.Hou}}
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="POWO">{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:2110-1 |title=''Polyalthia'' Blume |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=2025 |access-date=17 January 2025}}</ref> }}
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Category:Polyalthia Category:Annonaceae genera Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot