Parkinsonia aculeata L.
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Authority
Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.
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Family
Caesalpiniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Feathery-leafy or naked, armed, glabrous shrub or tree to 10 m with yellowish-green twigs. Leaves 1-3, the axillary from spurs, sessile, 2-pinnate with 2(-3) pinnae, each pinna due to absence of common petiole appearing as a 1- pinnate leaf; rachis 2-5 dm, broad and flattened, often curved or sinuate, persistent; leaflets numerous, petioluled, ovate to oblong, 2-5 mm, opposite or scattered, smaller distally, persistent or gradually deciduous. Nodes armed with a simple or basally trifid spine (exserted leafstalk of primary leaf) between or to one side of pinnae pair, and usually stipular spines. Flowers 2-15 in intercalary or terminally congested axillary racemes. Pedicels 1-1.5 cm, obscurely jointed distally; calyx 6-7 mm, the lobes reflexed and deciduous, leaving persistent basal cup; corolla yellow, ca 2 cm diam with erose-margined petals; standard villous-clawed and orange-spotted, becoming reddish; filaments proximally villous. Legume indehiscent, stipitate, irregularly torulose, 2-10 cm long, 5-6 mm diam, terete but with flat isthmi of various lengths, flat-beaked. Seeds 2- few.
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Discussion
CN 2n = 28 (Miège, 1962; Atchison, 1951). And others with base 14. The original range of Parkinsonia aculeata is problematic because it easily becomes established after introduction. Its reduced leaflets and photosynthetic branches imply that it is a desert plant as other American Parkinsonia. Turner (1959) says it is native in both southern and Trans-Pecos Texas, probably introduced elsewhere. In Arizona, Kearney, Peebles et al. (1960) believe it to be native in the “Castle Dome Mountains (Yuma co.), foothills of the Coyote and Babo-quivari mts.” and perhaps an escape elsewhere. It is presumably native although also cultivated in the Sonoran desert in Mexico. Carter (in litt.) notes that it appears native in Baja California. Its established abundance in Florida (and likely elsewhere in mesophytic warm or tropical America) is probably due to introduction; this thesis being supported by the plants almost exclusive occurrence in disturbed areas and the presumption that it evolved in a xeric environment. Burkart (1967) believes it is indigenous as well as cultivated in Argentina. Garda-Barriga and Forero-Gonzalez (1969) consider it introduced in Colombia, “possiblemente es nativa de Mexico.” The special merit of the retama in cultivation is its tolerance of a variety of conditions and ability to fend for itself. In Florida, it is commonly an irregular, unsightly shrub, locally ubiquitous in towns as an escape as well as in culture. Cultivated in Texas and Arizona, however, it is commonly a graceful and attractive small tree.
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Distribution
Texas to Arizona, native in part; Florida to California, also South Carolina, cult, and established. As native: desert washes with mesquite and creosote bush, water courses, dry slopes but usually with a permanent source of underground water, disturbed and ruderal areas; in cult., a common urban ornamental, also in highway plantings, escaped and established in urban waste areas, roadsides, open woods, floodplains, along water courses. March (s Florida and Texas)-May and sporadically all season.
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