Samadera

Samadera is a genus of trees belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, in the order Sapindales (formerly Rutales or Geraniales). The genus is native to eastern Africa (Tanzania), across to parts of tropical Asia and parts of eastern Australia.

Type species: Samadera indica Gaertn

Description
They are a genus of large or small trees with simple leaves. The flowers are bisexual, in peduncled (flower stalk) axillary or terminal umbels. The calyx (flower sepals) are small, 3-5 partite (divided into parts) and imbricate (overlapping each other). The 3-5 petals are much longer than the calyx, they are coriaceous (leather-like, stiff and tough) and imbricate. The flower disk is large, conical, with 8-10 stamens, including in the corolla, with a small scale at the base. The stigmas are acute and the ovules are solitary and pendulous. The fruit (or seed capsule) consists of 1-5 large dry compressed 1 seeded drupes (stone fruit), each with a narrow unilateral wing.

Taxonomy
It was first published and described by German Botanist Joseph Gaertner (1732–1791) in his seminal book De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum vol.2 on page 352 in 1791.

The species was later placed in the section Samadera of the Simaroubaceae by Hans Peter Nooteboom (1934–2022) in 1962 (published in 1963), as Quassia indica, along with Samadera harmandiana as Quassia harmandiana. Nooteboom had taken a very broad view of the genus Quassia and included therein various genera including, Hannoa, Odyendyea , Pierreodendron , Samadera , Simaba  and Simarouba.

In 2007, DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses was carried out on members of the Simaroubaceae family. It found that genus Samadera was a sister to Clade V and that genus Quassia was also a sister to Clade V but they had separate lineages. This suggested the splitting up of genera Quassia again, with all Nooteboom's synonyms listed above being resurrected as independent genera. This includes Samadera indica as the accepted name for Quassia indica. The ornamental Quassia amara, which is occasionally planted in Singapore, remains in genus Quassia.

Genus Samadera is agreed name by various authors including Klaus Kubitzki, Devecchi et al 2018, and Pirani et al 2021.

It is listed as a possible synonym of Quassia L. by GRIN (United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service), and by World Flora Online.

Etymology
The genus name of Samadera is derived from the New Latin, from Sinhalese word samadarā, a tree of Ceylon.

Species
It has 4 known species;
 * Samadera baileyana Oliv. - only found in northern Queensland, Australia
 * Samadera bidwillii (Benth. & Hook.f.) Oliv. - only found in Queensland,
 * Samadera harmandiana Pierre ex Laness. - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
 * Samadera indica Gaertn. - see below Distribution text

Tropicos lists 5 known species; Samadera harmandiana, Samadera indica , Samadera lucida , Samadera madagascariensis and Samadera tetrapetala

Distribution
The genus is native to the countries (and regions) of east Africa (within Tanzania (including Pemba Island), Comoros islands and Madagascar), tropical Asia (within Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka), parts of Indo-China (within Andaman Islands, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam), parts of Malesia (within Borneo, Malaya, Philippines, Sulawesi and Sumatra), parts of Papuasia (within Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and Solomon Islands) Australia (within the states of New South Wales and Queensland, ) and lastly in northwestern Pacific (within the Caroline Islands).

Habitat
Samadera indica for example, occurs in lowland tropical forest and peat swamp forest. at an altitude of 200 m above sea level.

While Samadera bidwillii is commonly found in Queensland, Australia within lowland rainforest often with species Araucaria cunninghamii or on the edges of rain-forests, but it can also be found in other forest types, such as open forest and woodland, it is commonly found in areas adjacent to both temporary and permanent watercourses. At an altitude of 510 m above sea level.

Endangered
Samadera indica (Quassia indica) was assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019. Samadera indica is listed as least concern (LC).

Samadera bidwillii is listed in Australia, as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. Due to threats to its habitat, such as clearing as a result of a range of activities including agriculture, forestry, urban development and recreational activities. The spread of non-native species such as lantana (Lantana camara) and exotic grasses, including guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana), may also threaten populations of Samadera bidwillii.

Uses
Some species such as Samadera indica are gathered from the wild and are used medicinally in local folk medicines and also used to produce insecticides. The wood of the tree is used locally for example in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia, where it is used for making knife-handles.

In the state of Kerala, India species Samadera indica has found to have anti-tumor, antifeedant, phytotoxic, antiviral, anthelmintic, and anti-malarial activities, growth regulating activities, and antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. It was used to vitiate diseases such as vata, kapha, arthritis, constipation, and skin diseases like leprosy, scabies, pruritus, and erysipelas.

A methanolic extract of Samadera indica can be used to treat skin diseases.