Albizia julibrissin Durazz.
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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 - Small, spreading, fragile, glabrate tree, mostly 3-6 m, with light, smooth bark. Pubescence scanty, primarily along leaf-rachis and (sometimes) margins of leaflets. Leaves large; petiole with a flat, proximal or sub-basal, elliptic gland, and sometimes a small one between terminal pinnae; pinnae 5-8(-15) pairs; leaflets ca 20(-30) pairs, oblong, .7-1.5 cm, strongly asymmetric, the midvein submarginal or marginal and mucronate-excurrent; secondary venation evident. Flowers in pink or rosy heads 2.5 cm diam in large, terminal corymb-like racemes. Legume oblong, usually acuminately tapering at ends, laterally compressed, 12-20 cm long, 15-25 mm wide; margins straight or irregularly constricted; valves membranous, light colored at maturity.
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Discussion
CN 2n = 26 (Berger and Witkus, 1950). There are many cultivated mimosoid legumes in subtropical Florida and urban California, but outside of these areas, Albizia julibrissin is probably the one best known in the United States. Literally almost everywhere in the “Dixie” south, it fades out and is replaced in central Florida by A. lebbeck. It is abundant on Long Island, N.Y. (personal observation). It is reported from California by Mathias and McClintock (1963) and is becoming (observation) a more frequent member of the cultivated flora of that state.
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Distribution
Se and e states, n to New York, w to c Missouri and Texas; California; occasional elsewhere. Common and conspicuous in cultivation and locally escaped, roadsides, open woodlands. May-June. Mimosa, Silk-tree. Native of Asia.
United States of America North America| Asia|