Astronium is a genus of deciduous, dioecious trees belonging to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, within the order Sapindales. The genus was established by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760 in his Enumeratio Systematica Plantarum and comprises approximately ten accepted species.
Members of Astronium are trees native to Central and South America. Their leaves are deciduous, alternately arranged, and odd-pinnate — a leaf form shared with other members of the Anacardiaceae. As dioecious plants, individual trees bear either male or female flowers but not both.
The genus is closely allied to Myracrodruon: several species formerly classified in Astronium, including the commercially important Myracrodruon urundeuva (uruandeuva) and Myracrodruon balansae, have been transferred to that genus. Accepted species within Astronium include A. graveolens, A. lecointei, A. concinnum, A. obliquum, A. fraxinifolium, A. ulei, A. glaziovii, A. gardneri, A. gracile, and A. nelson-rosae.
Etymology
The genus name Astronium was published by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760 in Enumeratio Systematica Plantarum Carib. The etymology of the name is not documented in available sources.
Distribution
Astronium is native to Central and South America. Its species range across tropical and subtropical regions of the Neotropics.
Taxonomy Notes
Astronium was described by Jacquin (1760) and is placed in the family Anacardiaceae, order Sapindales. Several species formerly assigned to Astronium — notably Astronium urundeuva and Astronium balansae — are now placed in the segregate genus Myracrodruon. The two genera are closely related within Anacardiaceae.
