Schinus is a genus of flowering trees and tall shrubs in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae, placed in the order Sapindales. Commonly known as pepper trees, the roughly 34 accepted species are native to South America, ranging from Peru and northeastern Brazil southward through Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.
The genus is best known for Schinus molle, the Peruvian pepper tree, whose dried pink berries are sold as pink peppercorns — a popular spice despite being unrelated to true pepper (Piper). Another prominent member, Schinus terebinthifolia (Brazilian pepper tree), has spread far beyond its native range in northeastern and southeastern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay, becoming a significant invasive species in Florida, Hawaii, and other warm regions worldwide.
Schinus trees and shrubs typically bear pinnate or simple leaves that are aromatic when crushed, small white to cream flowers arranged in panicles, and fleshy drupes that ripen to red or pink. The foliage and resinous sap contain compounds that can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals — a trait shared with other members of the cashew family.
The genus was described by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum. Its name derives from the Greek Σχίνος (schinos), the ancient word for Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree), which Schinus resembles in leaf form and resinous character.
Etymology
The genus name Schinus comes from the Greek word Σχίνος (schinos), the classical name for Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree), which Schinus resembles in its resinous, pinnate-leaved habit. The correct grammatical gender of Schinus is feminine, a determination formalised in 2015; adjectival species epithets must therefore take feminine endings (e.g. polygama, not polygamus).
Distribution
Species of Schinus are native to South America, with a range spanning Peru, Bolivia, and northeastern Brazil in the north, through Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina to Patagonia in the south. Some species have naturalised far outside this range: Schinus terebinthifolia is an aggressive invasive in Florida, Hawaii, and other subtropical regions, and Schinus polygama is potentially weedy in mesic habitats outside its native range.
Ecology
Several Schinus species produce aromatic, resinous foliage and sap that deter herbivores; contact with the sap or leaves can cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Schinus terebinthifolia is particularly noted for its ecological impact as an invasive, forming dense thickets that displace native vegetation in Florida and Pacific island ecosystems.
Cultural Uses
Schinus molle has been cultivated for centuries in South America and was introduced to California and other dry-climate regions as a street and ornamental tree. Its pink drupes are harvested as pink peppercorns, used in cooking as a milder, slightly fruity alternative to black pepper. Indigenous peoples of the Andes historically used Schinus molle to make a fermented beverage called chicha de molle, and the resinous wood and leaves have been employed in traditional medicine across the Andean region.
