Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Enterolobium cyclocarpum is a plant species in the subfamily of the mimosa family ( Mimosoideae ). It is widespread in Central and South America. The Guanacaste in the home countries called tree is the national tree of Costa Rica and the Guanacaste province in the northwest of the country was named after him.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Enterolobium cyclocarpum grows as a large tree that reaches heights of growth of up to 40 meters and a trunk diameter of up to 3.6 meters. It has a short stem and a very wide, supported by horizontal branches tree crown, the crown diameter of 45 meters can be greater than the plant height. The bark is gray and slightly scaly. Young branches have green bark. The alternate arranged leaves are bipinnate are 15 to 25 inches long.

Generative features

The approximately 1 centimeter large flowers are yellowish white. The almost circular curved with a diameter of 7 to 12 inches legumes resemble human ears.

Ecology

Young Guanacaste grow very quickly. The fruits fall after a year on the tree to the ground without having to have opened. They germinate at high temperatures and high humidity or after the brief heat of a bush fire. The rare natural regeneration of today Guanacaste stocks is explained by some scholars with the extinction of large mammal fauna 10,000 years ago. These animals are said to have eaten the fruits and the seeds excreted undigested. Today, tapirs, peccaries and Amazon parrots eat the seeds, but digest them for the most part.

Occurrence

The distribution area of Guanacaste ranges from northern Mexico through Central America to north- western Colombia, the northern Venezuela and the extreme northwest of Guyana. It grows mainly in the lowlands, near the Caribbean and the Pacific, not in the mountains. Because of its shady, far-reaching crown of Guanacaste has been introduced into other countries in South America and the islands of the Caribbean as a park tree.

The Guanacaste thrives in the plains and in the coastal region. In Costa Rica it grows only at altitudes of 900 meters. It tolerates dry periods of one to six months duration. In the tropical rain forests of Central America it belongs to the climax vegetation and is part of the main tree canopy in 40 meters height. At best it grows on deep, slightly alkaline, calcareous soils.

Use

The Guanacaste is as a supplier of timber for furniture, veneers and lumber of regional importance. In parks, on roadsides and in pastures he is popular as a shade. An extract from the bark to help with colds and bronchitis.