Mesua
/mɪˈsuːə/noun
A genus of tropical trees and shrubs in the family Calophyllaceae, including the ironwood tree Mesua ferrea.
Did you know?The genus name honors Mesue, the Latinized name of the Persian Christian physician Yūhannā ibn Māsawayh, whose writings were widely used in medieval Europe.
Etymological Timeline
8th–9th Century
Arabic
Yūhannā ibn Māsawayh
“The name of the Persian Christian physician later known in Latin Europe as Mesue.”
9th Century
Arabic
Ibn Māsawayh
“A physician and medical writer associated with Baghdad and the Abbasid intellectual world.”
Medieval Period
Latin
Mesue
“The Latinized personal name used for Yūhannā ibn Māsawayh in European medical literature.”
18th Century
Botanical Latin
Mesua
“A genus name created to commemorate Mesue.”
Modern English
English
Mesua
“The accepted name of a tropical plant genus, especially known for Mesua ferrea, the Ceylon ironwood.”