Trichilia
Trichilia is a flowering plant genus in the mahogany family. These plants are particularly diverse in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America.
Several species are used in folk medicine and shamanism - e.g. T. rubescens against malaria, T. tocacheana as a hallucinogen, and T. catigua in the aphrodisiac and stimulant catuaba. T. emetica wood, also known as Natal mahogany or Cape mahogany is the traditional material of choice for Mozambique's famous psikhelekedana miniature artists. Trichilia dregeana, or forest mahogany also yields timber and is also used in carvings, traditional African musical instruments, household implements, furniture, bats and canoes.
Taxonomy
The genus Trichilia was given its scientific name in 1756 by Patrick Browne. It is classified as part of Meliaceae, a family that is native to the Americas from Argentina to Mexico, Africa mainly south of the Sahara, and to the Arabian peninsula. The genus has 19 synonyms.| Name | Year |
| Acanthotrichilia O.F.Cook & G.N.Collins | 1903 |
| Acrilia Griseb. | 1859 |
| Barbilus P.Browne | 1756 |
| Barbylus Juss. | 1789 |
| Barola Adans. | 1763 |
| Burseranthe Rizzini | 1974 |
| Elcaja Forssk. | 1775 |
| Geniostephanus Fenzl | 1844 |
| Heynichia Kunth | 1844 |
| Mafureira Bertol. | 1850 |
| Moschoxylum A.Juss. | 1830 |
| Odontandra Willd. ex Schult. | 1819 |
| Odontosiphon M.Roem. | 1846 |
| Pholacilia Griseb. | 1859 |
| Portesia Cav. | 1789 |
| Rochetia Delile | 1846 |
| Symphytosiphon Harms | 1896 |
| Torpesia M.Roem. | 1846 |
| Ailantopsis Gagnep. | 1944 |
According to Plants of the World Online there are 109 accepted species: