2. Picramnia Swartz, Prodr. 2, 27. 1788.
[name conserved]
Bitterbush [Greek picro, bitter]
Shrubs or trees, rarely subshrubs, (2–)15–80(–220) dm. Leaves imparipinnate [paripinnate (with 1 of distal pair of leaflets oriented terminally)]; leaflets [1–]5–11[–33], alternate or subopposite, ovate to elliptic, 14–300 × 8–160 mm, base of terminal usually symmetric, of lateral ones usually oblique. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, rarely cauliflorous, [racemes or simple] compound thyrses. Flowers: sepals 5; petals 5; staminate flowers: anthers usually with enlarged connective, thecae parallel; pistils reduced to cylindric or lobed pistillodia or tufts of hairs; pistillate flowers: stamens reduced to staminodia or 0; pistils 2- or 3-carpellate, all carpels potentially fertile. Fruits berries; sepals persistent. Seeds 1–3.
Species 43 (1 in the flora): Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.
Picramnia is a neotropical genus, extending from Florida (Miami-Dade County) and Mexico to subtropical South America (northern Argentina and southern Brazil); members of the genus are found primarily in moist and semideciduous forests.
SELECTED REFERENCE Thomas, W. W. 1988. A conspectus of Mexican and Central American Picramnia (Simaroubaceae). Brittonia 40: 89–105.
