Species on this page ( A = names approved by most authorities, s = approved as synonyms) :

• Melia angustifolia Schumach.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia arguta DC.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia australasica Juss.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia australis Sweet  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azadirachta L. -> Azadirachta indica A. Juss.
• Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. forma albiflora Makino   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. forma umbraculifera (G.Knox) Rehder  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. subvar. intermedia Makino   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. subvar. semperflorens (Makino) Makino  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. acuminatissima Miq.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. australasica (Juss.) C. DC.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. biglandulosa Pierre ex Pellegr.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. cochinchinensis (Pierre) Pellegr.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. floribunda (Carrière) Morren  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. glabrior C. DC.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. glandulosa Pierre   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. incisa Miq.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. intermedia (Makino) Makino  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. japonica (G.Don) Makino  ->     Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. javanica Koord. & Valeton   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. sambucina (Blume) Miq.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. sempervirens L.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. squamulosa C.DC.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. subtripinnata Miq.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. umbraculifera G.Knox   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. umbraculiformis Berckmans & L.H.Bailey   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. umbraculifera Knox   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azedarach L. var. japonica (G. Don) Makino   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia azederach L.  ->  Melia azedarach L. ?
• Melia birmanica Kurz  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia bogoriensis Koord. & Valeton   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia candollei Juss.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia cochinchinensis M.Roem.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia commelinii Medik.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia composita Willd.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia composita Willd. var. cochinchinensis Pierre   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia dubia Cav. ex M.Roem.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia excelsa Jack -> Azadirachta excelsa (Jack) M. Jacobs
• Melia floribunda Carrière   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia florida Salisb.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia guineensis G.Don   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia hasskarlii K.Koch   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia japonica G.Don   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia japonica G.Don var. semperflorens Makino v
• Melia japonica G.Don var. squamulosa C.DC.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia japonica Hassk.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia japonica Hassk. var. semperflorens Makino  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia javanica M.Roem.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia koetjape Burm. f. -> Sandoricum koetjape (Burm. f.) Merr.
• Melia orientalis M.Roem.   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia parasitica Osbeck  ?
• Melia robusta Roxb. ex G.Don   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia sambucina Blume   ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia sempervirens Sw.,
• Melia superba Roxb.  ->  Melia azedarach L.
• Melia toosendan Siebold & Zucc.  ->      Melia azedarach L.

SYNONYM(S) :  Antelaea javanica Gaertn. , Azedarach commelini Medik. , Azedarach sempervirens Kuntze , Azedarach speciosa Raf. ,  Azedarach vulgaris M.Gómez , Melia angustifolia Schum. & Thonn.,  Melia azedarach L. var. japonica (G. Don) Makino, Melia azedarach L. var. sempervirens L., Melia azederach L orth. var., Melia candollei A. Juss., Melia floribunda Carrière, Melia japonica G. Don , Melia sempervirens Sw., Melia superba Roxb. , Melia toosendan Siebold & Zucc.

AFRIKAANS :  Bessieboom, Bessieboom syringa, Maksering.

ARABIC :   أزادرخت

ASSAMESE :  ঘোঁৰা নিম   Ghora nim (Ghoraneem). 

BENGALI :  Bakarjam.

CATALAN :  Mèlia.

CHINESE :  Chuan lian (as M. toosendan),   楝 Lian, 楝树 Lian chu (tree), Chuan liang zi (medicinal name), Ku lian pi (medicinal name).

CROATIAN :  Melija, Očenašica.

CZECH :   Zederach hladký.

DANISH :  Paternostertræ.

DUTCH :  Kralenboom.

ENGLISH :  Barbados lilac, Bastard cedar, Bead tree, Cape lilac, Chinaberry, Chinaberry tree, Ceylon cedar, Ceylon mahogany, Hoop tree, Indian bead tree, Indian lilac, Persian lilac, Pride of China, Pride of India, Sichuan pagoda tree (as M. toosendan), Syringa berry tree, Texas umbrella tree, Tulip cedar, Umbrella cedar, Umbrella tree, White cedar.  

FRENCH :  Acacie d'Égypte, Adrézarach, Arbre à chapelets, Arbe margousier, Azédarac, Azédarach, Cascarelle, Cormier des indes, Lilas de Perse, Lilas des Indes, Margousier, Mélie Pater-noster.

GERMAN :  Chinesische Holunder (plur.), Chinesischer Holunder (sing.), Indianischer Lilak, Indischer Zederachbaum, Indischer Zedrachbaum, Paternosterbaum, Persischer Flieder, Zedrachbaum.

GREEK :  Αγριοπασχαλιά  Agriopaschaliá, Λουλουδιά  Louloudiá,  Μέλια, Μελιά,  Μοσχοκαρφια Moschokarfia, Μοσκοκαρφιά Moskokarfiá, Πασχαλιά Paschaliá,  Ψευδομέλια Pseudomelia,  Ψευδομελιά Pseudomelia, Σολομός Solomós, Σολωμός Solo̱mós.

HEBREW :  אזדרכת מצויה
HINDI :   बकैन  Bakain,  बकाना नीम्ब  Bakānā nīmba,  बकायन   Bakayan, महानीम  Mahanimb.

ITALIAN :  Albero da rosari, Albero dei rosari, Albero dei paternostri, Lillà delle Indie, Perlaro.

JAPANESE :  センダン   Sendan,  栴檀   Sendan,   せんだん  Sendan.

KANNADA :  Bevu.

KHMER :  Dâk'hiën (Cambodia), Sadau khmaôch (sdau khmaoch).

KOREAN :  멀구슬나무  Meol gu seul na mu.

LAOTIAN :  H'ienx, Kadau s'a:ngz.

MALAY :  Gringging (Indonesia), Marambung (Indonesia, Sumatra), Mindi (Indonesia), Mindi kecil .

MALAYALAM :  Malaveppu.

MARATHI :  बकाणनिंब  Bakan nimb.

NEPALESE : Bakenu, Khaibasi.

PERSIAN :   زنزلخت  Zanzalakht.

POLISH :  Miotla.

PORTUGUESE :  Amargoseira, Amargoseira-do-Himalaio, Árvore-santa, Cinamomo (Brazil), Conteira, Lilás-da-Índia, Lilás-das-Índias, Margoseira-do-Himalaio, Mélia, Paraíso, Sabonete-de-soldado (Brazil).

SANSKRIT :  महानिंब  Mahanimbah.

SPANISH :  Agriaz, Agrión, Árbol de los rosarios, Arbol del para, Árbol del Paraíso, Árbol santo, Azedaraque, Cinamomo, Flor del paraiso, Melia, Paraíso  (El Salvador), Paraíso sombrilla, Piocha (Mexico), Rosariera.

SWEDISH :  Zedrak.

TAGALOG :  Balgango, Bagalunga.

TAMIL :   காட்டு வேம்பூ  Kattu vembhu,  மலை வேம்பு  Malai vembu, Malaivenimpu.

TELUGU :  Kali yapa, Kondavepa, Turakavepa, Turka vepa.

THAI :   เฮี่ยน Hian (Northern Thailand),  เลี่ยน  Lian,  เลี่ยน ใบหใญ่  Lian bai yai (Central Thailand), เคี่ยน Khian (Central Thailand), เกรียน Krian (Northern Thailand).

TURKISH :  Tespih aǧacı.

URDU :  Bakain (Pakistan), Dharek, Dhrek (Pakistan),   دھریک  Dryk (Dhraik).

VIETNAMESE :  Cây xoan, Sâ dông.


There is much confusion with the vernacular for Azadirachta indica A. Juss. and  Melia azedarach L. in many languages. Both plants are from India, both are used in medical remedies. Indian names also have anomalies: the Assamese "Mahaneem" is matched to  Azadirachta indica A. Juss. while the Hindi "Mahanimb" is used for Melia azedarach L.
The taxonomy may also contribute or add to the confusion: Antelaea javanica Gaertn. is a synonym attributed to both species, although deemed "unresolved" by the 'The PlantList".  Also the fact that Azadirachta indica A. Juss. has a synonym called Melia azadirachta L. can easily lead non botanists to complete confusion.

Melia azederach L. is considered as a separate species by "The Plant List", but more likely it is simply a spelling variant of Melia azedarach L.

Porcher Michel H. et al. 1995 - 2020, Sorting Melia Names. Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database - A Work in Progress.  Published on line by The University of Melbourne. Australia. < http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Melia.html > (2012).

N.B.I.I. & I.U.C.N. - S.S.C.,  2006. Melia azedarach (tree, shrub). National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). < http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=636&fr=1&sts=tss&ver=print&prtflag=false >.

Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, 2007, Wild Edible Plants of Assam, Published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam.

The Plant List, 2010 - 2012.  A working list of all known plant species. Version 1, released in December 2010. Collaborative project between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) and Missouri Botanical Garden (USA). < http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/ >.

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxdump.pl?melia (20 September 2004). (GRIN)

Contributors to this page (Personal communication) : In progress.

Date created: 18 / 09 / 2004
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Last modified: 28 / 05 / 2012
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