Caesalpinia ciliata (Bergius ex Wikstr.) Urb.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Caesalpiniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Scandent shrub, with many lateral branches along the main stem, attaining 6 m in length. Stems cylindrical, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, densely spiny. Leaves bipinnate, paripinnate, 20-35 x 10-28 cm; pinnae 3-10 pairs, opposite; leaflets 4-8 pairs per pinna, opposite, 1.5-3 x 1-1.7 cm, elliptical, ovate, or rounded, chartaceous, glabrous or puberulent, the apex rounded, mucronate, the base obtuse or cuneate, slightly unequal, the margins entire, revolute, ciliate; upper surface dull; lower surface with the midvein prominent; petiolules short, cylindrical, tomentose; petioles and raehis spiny; stipules lanceolate, acuminate, 0.5-1 mm long. Flowers functionally unisexual, in axillary or terminal racemes; raehis tomentose and densely spiny; bracts lanceolate, 3.5-6 mm long, deciduous. Calyx campanulate, 4-5 mm long, tomentose, the sepals reflexed, oblong. Petals yellow, 4.5-6.5 mm long, spathulate; stamens 10, four of which are fertile in the
Phenology - Flowering from March to August and fruiting in June.
Conservation Status - Native, rather common.
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Common Names
mato de playa