Pithecellobium saman (Jacq.) Benth.
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Authority
Isley, Duane. 1973. Leguminosae of the United States: I. Subfamily. Mimosoideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (1): 1-152.
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Family
Mimosaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - A medium to large, widely spreading, unarmed tree, the new growth and leaf rachises puberulent to tawny-velutinous. Leaves large; leafstalk 1.5-4 dm, bearing cupular glands between lowermost and upper or all pinnae pairs, or less frequently gland petiolar; smaller glands between leaflets sometimes present; pinnae 3-5(-6) pairs; leaflets 4-8 pairs, obliquely elliptic, 2-4 cm long, 1-1.8 cm wide, strongly nerved, puberulent below, glabrate-shiny above. Flowers in pink-purple umbels 5-6 cm diam, fasciculate-clustered in leaf axils. Legume indehiscent, moderately compressed, oblong, straight or slightly curved, 1-2 dm long, 1-2 cm wide, strongly margined, with a light line on each side of the black suture; valves thick, green and fleshy, at maturity becoming subwoody and black.
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Discussion
Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merrill CN 2n = 26 (Simmonds, 1954). My inclusion of this species follows Bailey (1949) and Barrett (1956). I have seen it only on a novelty basis. Merrill (1916) has made a good case for the genus Samanea, enthusiastically seconded by Macbride (1919). This position is reiterated by Mohlenbrock (1963a), and Barrett also (1956) has used the generic name, Samanea. My position regarding the delimitation of Pithecellobium is briefly stated in the generic discussion. It would be inconsistent to segregate Samanea and yet otherwise retain the Pithcellobium melange.
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Distribution
S Florida, cultivated ornamental. Rain tree. Native from Central America to Brazil. Widely planted in tropics of both hemispheres.
Central America| Brazil South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America|