Enterolobium contortisiliquum
Enterolobium
earpod tree, pacara earpod tree
enterolobium
ascending, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
stipules linear-subulate, 2–3 mm;
petiole 3–5(–8) cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with sessile, elliptic gland distal to middle;
rachis pubescent or glabrous;
stipels distal to secondary pulvinus, linear-subulate, 1 mm;
leaflet blade asymmetrical, linear-oblong to subfalcate, 8–15 × 3–4 mm, base obliquely rounded, apex obliquely acute to obtuse, mucronate.
alternate, even-bipinnate;
stipules present, caducous, inconspicuous;
rachis glandular mostly distally;
petiolate;
pinnae 4–10(–15) pairs, opposite;
leaflets (24–)30–60, opposite, blade margins entire, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
heads (on secondary branches) 0.5–1 cm, 1–2 cm diam.
ca. 50-flowered, axillary, heads [racemes, fascicles, or flowers solitary];
bracts present.
0.5–2 cm.
1 mm.
calyx 2 mm, 5-ribbed, pubescent on outer surface, lobes triangular, 0.25 mm;
corolla funnelform, 5–6 mm, pubescent on outer surface, lobes linear-lanceolate, 2 mm;
stamens ca. 80, 8–10 mm, white or cream, glabrous;
filaments connate 4 mm proximally.
mimosoid;
calyx valvate, campanulate to funnelform, lobes 5;
corolla white or cream, lobes 5, valvate, lobes and tube subequal;
stamens [10–] ca. 80, connate proximally into short staminal tube;
anthers dorsifixed;
style slender.
blackish, (55–)60–70(–80) × (40–)50–60 mm, dull, glaucous.
legumes, sessile, compressed, deeply reniform [or circinate], forming a nearly complete spiral, constricted between seeds, indehiscent, woody, glabrous.
dark brown, flattened, 10 × 5 mm, with evident pleurogram.
(5–)8–9(–14), ellipsoid, transverse, on filiform funicle.
= 13.
= 26 (South America).
Enterolobium contortisiliquum
Enterolobium
Enterolobium contortisiliquum is known from central peninsular Florida.
Enterolobium contortisiliquum is cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas and Africa. The species is used for wood in construction and cabinetry and is often cultivated as a shade tree in the tropics and subtropics. The seeds contain toxic saponins.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 11 (1 in the flora).
Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacquin) Grisebach and E. contortisiliquum are cultivated in temperate and tropical areas of the Old World and New World and sometimes naturalized; only the latter is naturalized in North America. The species can easily be distinguished by their fruits; reniform, plump, blackish, dull, and glaucous in E. contortisiliquum; curved to form a complete circle, flattened, dark brown, and lustrous in E. cyclocarpum. The wood of E. cyclocarpum is used commercially; the pods are fed to livestock; the gum is a substitute for gum arabic; the bark and fruits are used for tanning and in soap; and the bark is used medicinally.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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