Macaranga
genus of plants
Macaranga is a large genus of Old World tropical trees of the family Euphorbiaceae and the only genus in the subtribe Macaranginae (tribe Acalypheae). Native to Africa, Australasia, Asia and various islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the genus comprises over 300 different species. It was first described as a genus in 1806, based on specimens collected on the Island of Mauritius. Many species, such as Macaranga gigantea have uncommonly large leaves, and many are peltate.
Macaranga are noted for being pioneer species. Macaranga species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus. Macaranga species often form symbioses with ant (Formicidae) species (particularly Crematogaster ants of the subgenus Decacrema) because they have hollow stems that can serve as nesting space and occasionally provide nectar. The trees benefit because the ants attack herbivorous insects and either drive them away or feed on them.
Uses
Macaranga gum, a crimson resin, is obtained from Macaranga indica.
Macaranga tanarius leaves are used by the Rungus indigenous people in Sabah, Malaysia to pack cooked rice into bundles to preserve it and impart a pleasant aroma.
The public source identifies “Macaranga” as genus of plants. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Macaranga, genus and plants.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Macaranga”, the useful work is to connect “genus of plants” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2487583. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1806.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
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Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Macaranga”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Macaranga primary sources, Macaranga archive and Macaranga research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Macaranga” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.