quassia family: Meaning and Definition of

quas'sia fam"ily

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the plant family Simaroubaceae, characterized by tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs having pinnately compound leaves, clusters of flowers, fruit in the form of a capsule or berry, or fleshy or winged fruit, and a bitter bark used medicinally, and including the ailanthus and quassia.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.