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lebbek tree, raom tree, siris tree, soros-tree, woman's tongue, woman's-tongue tree

tall albizia, white siris

Habit Trees to 10 m, crown rounded. Trees 4–15(–25) m. Stems to 8.5 cm diam., glabrous, bark greenish, smooth, thin, with scattered, orange lenticels.
Stems

pilosulous to glabrescent, bark light tan, fissured in rectangular plate, with conspicuous pale lenticels on young branches.

Leaves

6–24 cm;

stipules 2–4 mm;

petiole 6–7(–9.5) cm, ribbed to channeled, sometimes pilose;

gland proximal, ± circular;

pinnae 2 or 3 pairs, 7–14 cm, with gland between distal pair;

leaflets 5–7 pairs, blades not bicolored, oblong to ovate, 2–4(–5) cm, venation palmate-pinnate, midvein subcentral, base acute, apex rounded, mucronate, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes translucent, pilose abaxially;

terminal pair not heteromorphic.

9–35 cm;

stipules 2 mm;

petiole to 6 cm, glabrescent;

gland ± proximal, elliptic, length 3 times width;

pinnae (1–)3–6 pairs, 10–21 cm, with gland between 1 or 2 distal pairs;

leaflets 6–9 pairs, blades bicolored, inequilaterally oval or oblong, 2–5 cm, venation palmate, midvein submarginal, base acute, apex rounded, mucronate, surfaces glabrous or sparsely appressed-puberulous, adaxially darker;

terminal pair not heteromorphic.

Inflorescences

30–40-flowered, (1 or)2 or 3 per node, axillary, capitula;

axis pilose;

floral bracts linear, 2 mm.

20–25-flowered, axillary, capitula;

axis densely strigillose.

Peduncles

7–8 cm, pilose;

bracts linear, 3 mm.

1–2 cm, densely strigillose;

bracts caducous, proximal, linear lanceolate, 1.3 mm, densely strigillose.

Pedicels

, except central flowers, 1.5–4.5 mm.

to 1 mm.

Flowers

calyx tubular, 3–6 mm, lobes 5 or 6, short-pubescent;

corolla campanulate, 4–10 mm, lobes 4 or 5, glabrous except for lobes;

stamens 30, white, 15–25 mm, tube to 4 mm;

central flowers: sessile, calyx to 5.5 mm, lobes 5, pilose;

corolla 10–11 mm, campanulate, lobes 5;

stamens 20–30, to 23 mm, tube to 10 mm.

calyx campanulate, 2 mm, lobes 5 or 6, densely strigillose;

corolla infundibuliform, 5.3 mm, lobes 5, strigillose;

stamens 45, 15 mm, tube 2 mm;

terminal or central flower calyx 2.5 mm, lobes 5, glabrous;

corolla to 7 mm, lobes 5, densely strigillose;

stamens 70, 28 mm, staminal tube to 6 mm.

Legumes

sessile, ochre-brown, 1.2–18.6(–25) × 3.7–6 cm (including beak), margins straight to slightly constricted between seeds, base rounded, apex acute, with 10 mm beak, glabrescent, usually dehiscent along 1 suture, valves undulating, raised over seeds.

reddish brown, 13–16 × 1.5–3 cm, base acute, apex rounded to a beak to 1 cm, valves membranous, glabrescent, smooth with faint reticulations.

Seeds

4–11, 7–8(–12) × 7–9 mm.

4–8(–12), 6.5–8.5 × 4–6.5 mm.

2n

= 26.

= 26.

Albizia lebbeck

Albizia procera

Phenology Flowering spring–early summer; fruiting spring–fall. Flowering fall; fruiting winter.
Habitat Disturbed thickets, roadsides. Roadsides, thickets.
Elevation 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; FL; TX; Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles), Bermuda, Central America, South America, Africa, Pacific Islands (Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; se Asia; Australia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles), Central America (Panama), South America (Brazil, Venezuela), Africa]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Albizia lebbeck is widely cultivated as an ornamental and shade tree; it is naturalized in the subtropics and tropics and is abundant in central and southern Florida. The rattling pods are persistent during the winter while the trees are leafless (D. Isely 1998).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Albizia procera is cultivated in southern Florida and is found outside cultivation in Miami-Dade County. In its native range, wood from the species is used for furniture and general construction.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (Mimosoid clade) > Albizia Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (Mimosoid clade) > Albizia
Sibling taxa
A. julibrissin, A. kalkora, A. procera
A. julibrissin, A. kalkora, A. lebbeck
Synonyms Mimosa lebbeck, Acacia speciosa, M. speciosa Mimosa procera
Name authority (Linnaeus) Bentham: London J. Bot. 3: 87. (1844) — (as Albizzia) (Roxburgh) Bentham: London J. Bot. 3: 89. (1844) — (as Albizzia)
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