Polyalthia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Annonaceae. There are approximately 90 species distributed from Africa to Asia and the Pacific. These are trees and shrubs. The flower has six petals in two whorls, the inner petals curving inward over the centre. The name Polyalthia is derived from a combination of Greek words meaning ‘many cures’ with reference to the medicinal properties of certain species.