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• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Reproduction
• Growth
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Taxonomy

Notes:

Publishing author: Britton & Rose Publication: Trop. Woods no. 7: 6 1926

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Lewis G.P., 1994-1995

Physical Description

Family Caesalpiniaceae:

The Caesalpiniaceae are mostly tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs comprising about 150 genera and 2,200 species. The leaves are stipulate, alternate, and mostly pinnately compound but may be bipinnate or simple. Like the other legume families the petiole base is commonly enlarged into a pulvinus. The flowers are in racemes, spikes or cymes, are zygomorphic, and are mostly weakly to strongly perigynous. The perianth commonly consists of a calyx and corolla of 5 segments each; the petals are distinct, overlapping (i.e., imbricate) in bud, with the posterior one (flag or banner) innermost in position. The androecium usually consists of 1-10 distinct or variously united stamens, some of which are commonly reduced to nonfunctional staminodes. The pistil is simple, consisting of one style and stigma, and a superior ovary with one locule containing 2-many marginal ovules. The fruit is usually a legume. -- Gerald Carr

Subfamily Caesalpinioideae:

Mostly trees or shrubs. Leaves mostly pinnate, sometimes bipinnate, rarely apparently simple. Corolla usually showy, zygomorphic, the petals imbricate, posterior (upper or banner) petal innermost in bud. Stamens 10 or fewer, distinct, usually not showy, some commonly reduced to staminodes. Pollen released in monads. Seeds with u-shaped line (pleurogram) usually lacking. [Carr]

Genus Caesalpinia:

Trees, shrubs and woody climbers. Leaves large, bipinnate. Flowers yellow or red, often showy. Racemes paniculate, in the upper leaf axils or terminal. Calyx teeth 5, imbricate in the bud, the lowest outside. Petals orbicular, clawed, imbricate. Stamens 10, free. Ovary sessile, usually few ovuled. Pod various, sometimes covered with spines.

About 280 species, distributed in tropics and sub-tropics.^[1]

Habit: Shrub, Tree • Climbing: Not Climbing

Flowers: Bloom Period: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. • Flower Color: gold, yellow-orange, yellow

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

Central America.

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Caesalpinia:

There are approximately 313 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: C. microphylla fiebrigii · C. acapulcencis · C. acapulcensis (Cuasillo) · C. acinaciformis · C. acuminata · C. acutifolia · C. alternifolia · C. anacantha · C. ancashiana · C. andamanica · C. angolensis · C. angulata (Yerba Buena) · C. apaculcensis · C. aphylla · C. argentina (Camiri) · C. armata · C. axillaris · C. bahamensis · C. bahamensis bahamensis · C. bahamensis orientensis · C. bahamensis rugeliana · C. bahamensis subsp. orientensis · C. bahamensis subsp. rugeliana · C. balansae · C. barahonensis · C. barbon · C. barkeriana · C. benthamiana · C. bessac · C. bonduc (Anoso) · C. bonduc var. caymanensis · C. bonducella var. aequiaculata · C. bonducella var. inaequiaculeata · C. bracteata · C. bracteosa (Catingueira) · C. bracteosa f. desertorum · C. broomensis · C. buchii · C. burmanica · C. cacalaco (Cascalote) · C. caesia · C. caladenia (Margarita) · C. calycina (Pau De Galinha) · C. cassioides · C. cassioides var. pardoana · C. caudata (Tailed Caesalpinia) · C. caymanensis · C. ciliata (Canique) · C. cinclidocarpus · C. claibornensis · C. coccinea · C. colimensis · C. coluteifolia (Parolillo) · C. conzatti · C. cookiana · C. coriacea · C. coriara · C. coriaria (Cascalote) · C. coulterioides · C. crista · C. crista var. parvistipula · C. cucullata · C. culebrae (Smooth Yellow Nicker) · C. dasyrachis · C. dauensis · C. decapetala (Bois Sappan) · C. decapeyala · C. delphinensis · C. desertorum · C. dictamnoides f. punctata · C. digyna · C. dinteri · C. domingensis · C. drepanocarpa (Sickle-Pod Holdback) · C. ebano · C. echinata (Brazil Wood) · C. elata · C. elliptifolia · C. enneaphylla · C. epifanioi · C. epunctata · C. equinata · C. erianthera · C. eriostachya · C. eriostachys (Casa Iguana) · C. erythrocarpa · C. exilifolia · C. exostemma (Abejon) · C. exostemma exostemma · C. exostemma subsp. tampicoana · C. exostemma tampicoana · C. falcaria var. capitata · C. falcaria var. densiflora · C. falcaria var. pringlei · C. falcaria var. rusbyi · C. falcaria var. stricta · C. ferrea (Brazilian Ironwood) · C. ferrea var. ferrea · C. ferrea var. glabrescens · C. ferrea var. megaphylla

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 17, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
• ILDIS World Database of LegumesNov 10, 2005.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal December 04, 2007:

• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• The New York Botanical Garden, Vascular Plant Type Specimens

Identifiers:

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13640739
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:40132-2
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 429476

Footnotes:

1. "Caesalpinia". in Flora of Pakistan . Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.