A genus of tropical American shrubs and trees belonging to the Flacourtiaceae family. The wood of various species is insecticidal. Ground stem wood of Ryania speciosa Vahl., Flacourtiaceae is employed in the commercial insecticide formulations Ryanex, Ryanicide (formerly). See Folkers et al., US 2400295 (1946 to Merck & Co.); Pepper, Carruth, J. Econ. Entomol. 38, 59 (1945); Heal, Agric. Chem. 4, 37 (May, 1949). Insecticidal components such as ryanodine, q.v., are extractable by water, chloroform, or methanol. Toxicity data: Kuna, Heal, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 93, 407 (1948).