Parkinsonia florida
Flowering Parkinsonia florida
Parkinsonia florida is a species of the genus of Parkinsonien ( Parkinsonia ), which is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Description
Parkinsonia florida is a fast-growing, multi-stemmed, thorny deciduous tree that can reach 10 to 12 meters in height. He has an open, very wide sweeping Treetop ( up to 15.2 square meters land cover) and a relatively short trunk with a diameter that can reach 50 centimeters. Trunk and branches have a fairly thin, blue-green bark and are capable of photosynthesis. Distinguishing features of closely related species Parkinsonia microphylla (Palo Verde the foothill ), with which Parkinsonia florida can cross, its more drooping branches, be rapidly maturing and be bound to the dry valleys site because the tree has a relatively high demand for water.
The leaves are composed ( total size 1-2.5 cm) and consist of paired (1-3 pairs), small (4-8 mm), blue-green leaflets, which are dropped into droughts. The flowers are (light) yellow, have a diameter of 12 to 18 millimeters, its heyday in the late spring ( late March to early May) usually takes two weeks. They consist of a 6-7 mm long calyx and five (rarely four) petals that are 8-10 mm long. There are ten detached stamens present. The fruits are 7-10 millimeters wide pods slightly larger ( 4-12 cm) and reduced to flatter curves than Parkinsonia microphylla, also the shells are harder. Each pod contains up to eight flat bean -like seeds. The seeds are olive-brown, flattened, smooth and 7.5-10 mm long, with a width 6-7 mm.
The root system of Parkinsonia florida has no Mykorrhyzen.
Dissemination
The distribution area of Parkinsonia florida extends over the south-eastern California, Nevada and the extreme south of the central and southern Arizona, as well as the Mexican states of Baja California Norte and Sonora. In Baja California Sur and Sinaloa consist isolated occurrence.
Ecosystems and plant associations
Parkinsonia florida one of the desert shrub and the desert grassland ecosystem. According A.W. Kuchler is the tree with the following plant associations one:
- Mesquitestrauch
- Creosote bush
- Creosote bush - Ambrosia dumosa and
- Cactus bushes
Location
Parkinsonia florida is a characteristic tree of the Sonoran Desert and in particular the Colorado Desert. He thrives on the lower and middle sections of Bajadas as scattered groups of trees along arroyos and dry valleys. Only occasionally it is also found on slopes ( the foothill ). The main feature of all these sites is the sporadic water flow.
Parkinsonia florida rises to a height of 1200 meters.
Etymology and names
The genus name Parkinsonia goes back to the English botanist John Parkinson. The species name florida ( Italian for " blooming, floriferous " ) derives ultimately from Latin flos ( flower). A synonym is Cercidium floridum. Cercidium comes from the Greek κέρκιδίον ( kerkidion ) meaning " shuttle " in reference to the shape of the pods. In the Spanish -speaking world the Parkinsonien " Palo Verde " (green floor) hot because of the green colored strain, which assumes photosynthetic tasks. Parkinsonia florida is considered because of its blue-green leaves as "Blue Palo Verde ".
Synonyms
Parkinsonia florida carries several synonym names:
- Cercidium floridum Benth. ex Gray
- Cercidium torreyanum ( S. Wats. ) Coffin.
- Cercidium torreyanum coffin. Gard. & For.
- Parkinsonia Parkinsonia torreyana or torreyanum S. Wats.
Use
The Cahuilla Indians dried the seeds and flour made from it. In addition, they used the tree as privacy and sun protection. The Yuma roasted the seeds, crushed them and made a mash forth from it. The Pima Indians ate the fresh peppers raw and carved from the wood cooking utensils.
Others
Parkinsonia florida was first botanically categorized by the Irish botanist Thomas Coulter in 1830, when he had received a number of plants from the vicinity of Hermosillo. Parkinsonia florida is the state tree of the state of Arizona.