Gleditsia triacanthos L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Caesalpiniaceae

• Scientific Name

  Gleditsia triacanthos L.

• Description

  Species Description - Tree to 20 or even 40 m; lvs with 9–14 pairs of lfls or 4–7 pairs of pinnae; lfls oblong-lanceolate, obscurely crenate, 2–4 cm on pinnate lvs, 1–2 cm on bipinnate ones; petioles pubescent; staminate racemes 3–7 cm, densely many-fld; fertile racemes loose, with fewer, more evidently pedicellate, pistillate or perfect fls; pods 15–40 × 3–4 cm, dark brown, firm, pubescent when young, the seeds ca 2 cm apart and separated by sweetish pulp; 2n=28. Rich moist woods; Pa. to Tenn. and w. Fla., w. to s. Minn., se. S.D. and Tex., and widely cult. elsewhere. May. G. ×texana Sarg., with pods 10–15 cm, lacking pulp, is a rare hybrid with no. 2 [Gleditsia aquatica Marshall].

• Common Names

  honey-locust