Mesua is a genus of flowering plants in the family Calophyllaceae,Stephens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/ native to tropical southern and southeast Asia. Common names include ironwood (shared with many other plants) and rose chestnut.
They are evergreen shrubs or small trees growing to tall, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs.
Species According to Plants of the World Online, 11 species are currently accepted:Mesua L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 5 April 2026. 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 sclerophylla – southern Sri Lanka 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 nervosa (King) Kosterm., synonym of Kayea nervosa 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