Simaroubaceae is a small family, the best known member of which is the tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima. This native of China was brought to Europe and North America as an ornamental in the 18th century without awareness of how aggressively it would sucker and spread. Consequently it is possibly the most frequently encountered "weed tree" in New York and many other places. It is particularly associated with New York because of the 1943 novel "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. In the book, the tenacious, indestructible nature of Ailanthus is used as a metaphor for human persistence in the face of adversity. Not surprisingly, the tree is so well established in the United States that it is unlikely to ever be eradicated.
Two more obscure genera are noted for their chemical constituents. Both are from tropical America. In the 18th century, French explorers discovered that Simarouba was helpful for treating dysentery. Similarly, Quassia was determined to be an effective natural insecticide, also helpful in treating intestinal parasites. Equally interesting is the botanist who discovered this: Graman Quassi, a freed black slave from the Dutch colony of Suriname. Evidently his talents as a healer won him his freedom, a ticket to Holland, and a place in botanical history.
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