Mesua

Mesua is a genus of flowering plants in the family Calophyllaceae, native to tropical southern Asia. Common names include ironwood (shared with many other plants) and rose chestnut.

They are evergreen shrubs or small trees growing to 13 m tall, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs.

Species

According to Plants of the World Online, ten species are currently accepted:

• Mesua clemensiorum Kosterm. – Vietnam
• Mesua ferrea L. – India and Sri Lanka to Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Java, and the Philippines
• Mesua kochummeniana Whitmore – Peninsular Malaysia
• Mesua nivenii Whitmore – Peninsular Malaysia
• Mesua nuda Kosterm. ex Whitmore – Peninsular Malaysia
• Mesua planigemma Kosterm. – Borneo
• Mesua pulchella Planch. & Triana – southwestern Sri Lanka
• Mesua purseglovei Whitmore – Peninsular Malaysia
• Mesua pustulata (Ridl.) P.S.Ashton – Borneo
• Mesua thwaitesii Planch. & Triana – Sri Lanka and southwestern India

Formerly placed here

• Mesua daphnifolia (Ridl.) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea daphnifolia
• Mesua manii (King) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea manii
• Mesua rosea (Ridl.) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea rosea
• Mesua stylosa (Thwaites) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea stylosa
• Mesua wrayi (King) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea wrayi

References

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Mesua
• University of Melbourne: Sorting Mesua names