Lysiloma latisiliquum

Branch with paired pinnate leaves and legumes

The Wild Tamarind ( Lysiloma latisiliquum ) is a species of the genus Lysiloma within the legume family ( Fabaceae ). The natural range is located in the Caribbean and Florida. The name "Wild Tamarind " is used partly for other types of mimosa plants.

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description and ecology

Appearance, bark, wood and leaf

The Wild tamarind grows as a medium to large tree with plant height, usually 12, rarely up to 15 meters with trunk diameters of 0.6 to 0.9 meters. The stems often grow slightly zigzag. The far bulging, overlapping branches form a wide, flat tree crown. In exposed environments short, erect to slightly sloping trunks and spreading, umbrella-like canopy can be formed. With age, the tree crown is always open. In dense stands the stem is longer, the branches begin only in larger stem heights and the tree crown is then tapered

The bark on the branches is initially light reddish - brown, with the years a little brighter. In young trees the bark is smooth, light gray with a pink tint. The thin to medium thick bark is dark brown later. On older trees, the bark peels off in large, plate -shaped pieces. Although the Wild tamarind grows relatively quickly, it forms a hard wood and can withstand strong winds. There are growth rings in the wood visible, but cheinen no annual rings to his.

In the northern area of ​​distribution Lysiloma latisiliquum is deciduous, semi-evergreen to the south, and the southernmost occurrences are evergreen. Most of the foliage case is before the new growth in late spring, but sometimes that overlaps temporally something. The alternate arranged on the branches, 10 to 18 centimeters long and 10 to 13 cm wide leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The double twisted feathery leaf blade often has two, usually three to five pairs of leaflets continuous first order. The first-order pinnae each have 10 to 20 leaflets against permanent. The seated, simple leaflets are at a length of about 1.25 inches and a width of about 0.5 cm oval to oblong with blunt upper end and smooth edge. The upper leaf surface is dark green, the underside lighter. There are relatively large, ovate stipules present.

Inflorescence and flower

The flowering time is in Florida in the spring and summer. In the axils of young branches, either singly or in groups about four inches long on the Blütenstandsschäften with a diameter of about 1.5 centimeters spherical, capitula -shaped buds. In spherical inflorescence many flowers are on each one bract.

The hermaphrodite, white to creamy white flowers are radial symmetry and fünfzählig double perianth. The five sepals are short bell-shaped fused .. The five petals are fused short bell-shaped. The flower crown standing above the calyx. Main theater organs of the flowers are 15 to 20 white stamens, whose filaments are fused to stamen tube. The stamens are eight to ten times as long as the corolla. Each flower contains only a constant upper carpel. The slightly fragrant flowers are visited by bees, but on the pollination are no further details.

Fruit and seeds

The pulse is at a length 13 to 20 centimeters and a width of 2.5 to 3 centimeters long and relatively flat; She rolls slightly during its development. The initially green legume turns later dark brown and is mottled light by decaying tissue at maturity. The legumes remain through the winter on the tree and usually only open during the next flowering season. The legumes contain five to ten seeds. Only part of the seed is ripe, because the beetle Merobruchus lysilomae eats the seeds and leaves behind small exit holes in the legumes. The seeds are dark brown. The fruits of the wild tamarind, unlike in the Indian tamarind ( Tamarindus indica), for the people are not edible.

Occurrence

Lysiloma latisiliquum comes in the southernmost part of Florida, prior to the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize and Guatemala on the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.

The natural resources of Lysiloma latisiliquum thrive in shallow soil, neutral to slightly alkaline soils that form on limestone.

Lysiloma latisiliquum thrives in dry, evergreen laurel forests, scrubland and pine woodlands and on anthropogenically disturbed areas. It is a fast-growing pioneer species. The seedlings develop on open, sunny locations. They are fast becoming shade trees under which other species can colonize. Unlike other hardwood species, they are not matched by forest fires.

Synonyms

Synonyms for Lysiloma latisiliquum (L.) Benth. are: Acacia bahamensis ( Benth. ) Griseb, Acacia latisiliqua (L.) Willd, Leucaena latisiliqua (L.) Gillis, Lysiloma bahamense Benth, Mimosa L. latisiliqua. .. .

Use

The wood of the wild tamarind is heavy, hard and with fine texture. The heartwood is very dark brown, while the sapwood is almost white. The wood is sometimes used for ship and boat building.

Swell

• Stephen H. Brown Lysiloma latisiliquum the Lee County Extension of the University of Florida - full-text PDF.
• The datasheet at Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve the Bahamas National Trust.