Caesalpinia pulcherrima |
|
---|---|
dwarf poinciana, flowerfence, pride-of-Barbados |
|
Habit | Shrubs or small trees, 1–6 m.Leaves: stipules caducous; petiole 3.2–6.5 mm, glabrous; rachis 4.5–20(–25) cm, glabrous; pinnae pairs opposite; leaflets jugate, blades elliptic to ovate, (6–)10–22(–25) × 4–10(–12) mm, apex rounded, mucronate. |
Inflorescences | 12–35 cm; bracts oblong, 4.5–7.7 × 1.3–2.6 mm. |
Pedicels | articulate, (2.5–)3–6.2 cm. |
Flowers | calyx red or yellow, 3–4.8 × 2–3.5 mm, glabrous; abaxial lobes (11–)13–17 × 7.2–10 mm, margins denticulate, lateral lobes ovate, (8.2–)10–13.5 × (4.5–)5.5–8 mm, apex rounded, adaxial lobes oblong to elliptic, (7.5–)8–12.5 × (3.3–)4–6.5 mm; banner with a central scarlet blotch, ovate, (3.5–)4–7(–8.5) × (4.5–)6–10.5 mm, cordate, claw conduplicate, 6–16 mm; abaxial lateral lobes obovate, 10–16 × 9–18.5 mm, claw 5.8–11 mm, adaxial lateral lobes obovate (9–)10–16 × (9–)10.7–17.6 mm, margins crenulate, apex rounded, claw 6–11.5 mm; filaments red, exserted, (2.4–)3.8–7 mm, densely pubescent on basal 1/4; anthers yellow, 1.3–2.5 × 0.9–1.6 mm; ovary falcate, 2–3 × 4.5–6.3 mm; style 4.5–6.3 mm, stigma terminal, porate; ovules 5–12. |
Fruits | red when mature, falcate, (6–)7–9.5 × 1.5–2.1 cm. |
Seeds | brown or olive, 7.4–9.6 × 6–7.3 mm. |
2n | = 24. |
Caesalpinia pulcherrima |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round. |
Habitat | Roadsides, thickets. |
Elevation | 0–50 m. [0–160 ft.] |
Distribution |
FL; TX; South America [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, Asia, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands]
|
Discussion | Caesalpinia pulcherrima is widely cultivated as a garden ornamental. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | |
Synonyms | Poinciana pulcherrima |
Name authority | (Linnaeus) Swartz: Observ. Bot., 166. (1791) |
Web links |