Phaleria


Phaleria is flowering plant genus of about 25 species in the family Thymelaeaceae, which range from Sri Lanka to Malesia, Papuasia, northern and eastern Australia, and the tropical Pacific Islands.

Uses

Some species, like the mahkota dewa are known to produce agarwood. Many others have long histories of use in traditional medicine like delal a kar which is used as a panacea by Palauans.

Species

25 species are accepted.Phaleria acuminata — Fiji, American Samoa, Tonga, Western SamoaPhaleria angustifolia — FijiPhaleria biflora – Qld, Australia endemicPhaleria capitatasalagong-gubat Phaleria chermsideana – Qld, NSW, AustraliaPhaleria clerodendronscented daphne Phaleria coccineaNew Guinea, New Britain, Moluccas, PhilippinesPhaleria disperma – Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Wallis and FutunaPhaleria elegans – New Guinea endemicPhaleria glabra — Fiji, TongaPhaleria ixoroides — FijiPhaleria lanceolata — FijiPhaleria longituba — New GuineaPhaleria macrocarpamahkota dewa Phaleria montana — FijiPhaleria nisidaedelal a kar Phaleria octandradwarf phaleria Phaleria okapensis — New Guinea Phaleria pentecostalis — VanuatuPhaleria perrottetiana – New Guinea, Moluccas, Borneo, PhilippinesPhaleria pilistyla — New Guinea Phaleria pubiflora — FijiPhaleria pulchra — FijiPhaleria sogerensis – New GuineaPhaleria stevensiana — Sulawesi

Taxonomy and phylogeny

Phylogenetic analysis shows that Phaleria's closest related genus is Dais, both of which are members of the Thymelaeoideae subfamily of the Thymelaeaceae family which contains 941 species in 48 different genera according to the Catalogue of Life. The next closest related genera is a clade containing Gnidia, Stephanodaphne, Dirca, Ovidia, Peddiea, Pimelea, Struthiola, Lachnaea, Passerina, and Passerina.