Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C.DC. (Meliaceae), an addition to the flora of India from West Bengal
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Research Articles | Published: 03 June, 2025
First Page: 0
Last Page: 0
Views: 741
Keywords: African continent, Madagascar, Exotic tree, West Bengal
Abstract
Khaya, commonly known as African Mahogony, is a genus native to Africa. The members of this genus are economically important as they produce high-quality wood and have medicinal properties. They are fast-growing and are widely cultivated for wood production across the tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. In India, the genus was previously represented by two species, viz. K. grandifoliola and K. senegalensis. During several botanical excursions across different districts of West Bengal, an interesting tree species was discovered in flowering as well as in fruiting stages during the spring and rainy seasons. The specimen was collected and photographed and detailed morphological study was done. After a consultation of relevant literatures, and examination of herbarium specimens from different world herbaria, the collected specimen was identified as K. anthotheca, which is found to be new to the flora of cultivated plants of India. A detailed morphological description, photographs, habitat information, phenology, distribution, and comparative characters with the other Khaya species available in India are provided for easy identification.
References
Alam MK, Basak SR, Alam S (2012) Khaya anthotheca(Welw.) C.DC. (Meliaceae)- an exotic species in Bangladesh. Bangladesh J Plant Taxonomy 19(1):95–97
Aubréville A (1959) La floreforestière de la Côte d’Ivoire. Tome 2 (2eéd.). Nogent-sur-Marne, France, Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT), p 341
Bouka DUG, Doumenge C, Ekué MR, Daïnou K, Florence J, Degen B, Loumeto JJ, McKey D, Hardy OJ (2022) Khaya revisited: genetic markers and morphological analysis reveal six species in the widespread taxon K. anthotheca. Taxon 71(4):814–832
Bouka DUG, Doumenge C, Loumeto JJ, Florence J, McKey D (2019) Des confusions entre espècespréjudiciables à La gestion durable des essences Forestières: L’exemple des acajous d’afrique (Khaya, Meliaceae). Bois Et Forêts Des Tropiques 339:17–32. https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2019.339.a31714
Bouka DUG, Florence J, Doumenge C, Loumeto JJ, McKey D (2017) Khayae (Meliaceae) specierum nomenclator. Adansonia 39:15–30. https://doi.org/10.5252/a2017n1a2
CTFT (Centre Technique Forestier Tropical) (1988) Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss. Bois et Forêts des Tropiques 218: 43–56.http://revues.cirad.fr/index.php/BFT/article/view/19581
de Candolle ACP (1878) In: de Candolle ALPP and de Candolle ACP (eds.). MonographiaePhanerogamarumProdrominuncContinuato, nuncRevisioAuctoribus Alphonso et Casimir de Candolle AliisqueBotanicis Ultra Memoratis. Paris 1: 721
Devaranjan PT, Girivasan KP, Abdul Kader S, Veerabadran V (2012) Occurrence of Khaya senegalensis A.Juss. (= Swietenia senegalensis Desr.) (Meliaceae) in Tamil Nadu- an addition to the flora of South India. J Economic Taxonomic Botany36(4):820–822
Hawthorne W (1998) Khaya anthotheca. IUCN Red List Threatened Species 1998(eT32235A9690061). https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32235A9690061.en. Accessed on 13April 2025
Heads M (2019) Biogeography and ecology in a Pantropical family, the Meliaceae. Gardens’ Bull Singap 71(2):335–461. https://doi.org/10.26492/gbs71(suppl. 2).2019-22
Hiern WPH (1896) Catalogue of the African plants collected by dr. Friedrich Welwitsch in 1853–61, dicotyledons, part I. British Museus (Natural History), London
Jain SK, Rao RR (1977) Field and herbarium methods. Today and Tomorrow’s Printers and, New Delhi
Jain SS, Bennet SSR (1997) Meliaceae. In: Hajra P.K., Nair V.J. & Daniel P. (eds.). Flora of India 4: 453–526. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta
Keay RWJ, Hepper FN (1963) Flora of West tropical Africa, vol 2. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, Millbank London
Louppe D, Oteng-Amoako AA, Brink M (eds) (2008) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 7(1). Timbers 1. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen, Netherlands /Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands / CTA, Wageningen, Netherlands
Manna MK (1997) Meliaceae: flora of India series 2: flora of West Bengal. 1:397–407
Mao AA, Dash SS (eds) (2020) Flowering plants of India: an annotated checklist (Dicotyledons), vol 1. Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata
Moyo P, Botha ME, Nondaba S, Niemand J, Maharaj VJ, Eloff JN, Louw AI, Birkholtz L (2016) In vitro Inhibition of plasmodium falciparum early and late-stage gametocyte viability by extracts from eight traditionally used South African plant species. J Ethnopharmacol 185:235–242
Olatunji TL, Odebunmi CA, Adetunji AE (2021) Biological activities of limonoids in the genus Khaya(Meliaceae): a review. Future J Pharm Sci 7(74). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-021-00197-4
Pennington TD, Styles BT (1975) A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. Blumea22:419–540
Pinheiro AL, Couto L, Pinheiro DT, Brunetta JMFC (2011) Ecology, forestry and technological use of African Mahogany trees (Khayaspp). Viçosa - Minas Gerais
POWO (2024) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet:https://powo.science.kew.org/ (Retrieved on 21 August, 2024)
Sharma BD, Singh NP, Raghavan RS, Deshpande UR (1984) Meliaceae: Flora of India Series 2: Flora of Karnataka Analysis. pp 44–46
Author Information
Central National Herbarium, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah, India