Lably
Skip to content

Schinus

Genus of shrubs and trees

  • 3 min read
  • 2 chapters
Schinus terebinthifolius (fruit). Location: Florida, South Lido Beach
Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0

Related on Lably

Through Flowering plant, Tree and Shrub

Lab · Class 11Morphology of Flowering Plants — Animated Chapter FilmLab · Class 11Anatomy of Flowering Plants — Animated Chapter FilmLab · Class 9–11Inside a PlantLab · Class 8–12Using a Microscope

The species of Schinus are native to South America, ranging from Peru and northeastern Brazil to southern South America. Some species (e.g. Schinus terebinthifolia) have become an invasive species outside their natural habitats. Schinus polygama, although less well known, is also potentially weedy in mesic areas.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek word for Pistacia lentiscus, Σχίνος (schinos), which it resembles.

There has been considerable historical confusion as to the correct grammatical gender of the genus name; this was resolved in 2015 with the determination that the correct gender of Schinus is feminine, not masculine, and adjectival names within the genus must be spelled accordingly. E.g. Schinus polygamus is found in the literature, but Schinus polygama is deemed to be the correct form. This is because botanical tradition uses feminine gender for the genus name Schinus, as is the classical tradition for most genus names of trees that end in -us, and polygama is an adjective that must take a feminine form (not the masculine form polygamus).

Sign in to keep reading

One more chapter is free with a Lably account.

More in Plants

Molecular phylogeneticsBranch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differencesMicrometreUnit of length; one millionth of a metrePerennialPlant that lives for more than two yearsDeciduousPlants that shed leaves seasonallyGram-negative bacteriaGroup of bacteria that do not retain the Gram stain used in bacterial differentiationLegumePlants in the family Fabaceae