Five species of deciduous trees and shrubs, leaves are alternate, odd-pinnately compound, with as many as 40 leaflets, each with a few large teeth near base and a gland below. Native to east and southeast Asia to Australia.
Ailanthus: from ailanto, an Indonesian name for A. molucuanna or A. intergrifolia, meaning Tree of Heaven, or "reaching for the sky", referring to tree height. Also a Latin superlative meaning very high or tallest.
Pronunciation:
a-LAN-thus
Family:
Simaroubaceae