Caesalpinia mexicana

Caesalpinia mexicana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Caesalpinia
Species:	C. mexicana
Binomial name
Caesalpinia mexicana A.Gray
Synonyms
Poinciana mexicana (A.Gray) Rose Poincianella mexicana (A.Gray) Britton & Rose[1]

Caesalpinia mexicana is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include Mexican Holdback,^[2] Mexican Caesalpinia, and Tabachín del Monte.^[3] It is native to the extreme lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas^[4] in the United States and south to central Mexico.^[5] Its range in Mexico includes the northeast and further south along the Gulf coast as well as the Pacific coast in Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and a small portion of Sinaloa.^[6]

Description

Mexican Caesalpinia is a small evergreen tree or large shrub, reaching a height of 3–4.6 m (9.8–15.1 ft) and a spread of 1.8–3 m (5.9–9.8 ft). Leaves are bipinnately-compound and dark green.^[7] Each leaf has five to nine pinnae 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) in length.^[8] Pinnae are composed of four to five leaflets^[7] that are 1–2.5 cm (0.39–0.98 in) long and 0.7–1.3 cm (0.28–0.51 in) wide.^[8] Yellow, slightly fragrant flowers are produced on 7.6–15.2 cm (3.0–6.0 in) terminal spikes^[7] of 10 to 30.^[3] Blooming takes place from February to July, often continuing to October. The fruit is a dehiscent tan or yellow seedpod 5.1–7.6 cm (2.0–3.0 in) in length.^[7]

Uses

Mexican Caesalpinia is cultivated as an ornamental because of its showy flowers, lush,^[3] fine-textured foliage, and drought tolerance.^[9]

Ecology

C. mexicana is the host plant for the caterpillars of the Curve-winged Metalmark (Emesis emesia).^[10]

References

1. ^ "Caesalpinia mexicana A. Gray". TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/13003261. Retrieved 2009-11-25. 
2. ^ "Caesalpinia mexicana A. Gray Mexican holdback". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAME. Retrieved 2009-12-03. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Nokes, Jill (2001). How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (2 ed.). University of Texas Press. pp. 151–152. ISBN 9780292755734. http://books.google.com/books?id=r9qqlxIOKTwC&dq. 
4. ^ "Mexican Caesalpinia, Mexican Poinciana". Benny Simpson's Texas Native Trees. Texas A&M University. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/natives/caesalpiniamexicana.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
5. ^ "Taxon: Caesalpinia mexicana A. Gray". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-08-28. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?8296. Retrieved 2009-11-25. 
6. ^ Little, Jr., Elbert L. (1976). Atlas of United States Trees. Volume 3, Minor Western Hardwoods. US Government Printing Office. Library of Congress No. 79-653298. http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/data/atlas/little/caesmexi.pdf.  Map 27-N & Map 27-SW, Caesalpinia mexicana
7. ^ ^{a b c d} Irish, Mary (2008). Trees and Shrubs for the Southwest: Woody Plants for Arid Gardens. Timber Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 9780881929058. http://books.google.com/books?id=AyWkIsLDca8C&dq. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Richardson, Alfred (1995). Plants of the Rio Grande Delta. University of Texas Press. pp. 103–104. ISBN 9780292770706. http://books.google.com/books?id=vF_1X65cDxYC. 
9. ^ Gilman, Edward F (October 1999). "Caesalpinia mexicana Mexican Caesalpinia" (PDF). IFAS Extension. University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP08200.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-23. 
10. ^ "Curve-winged Metalmark Emesis emesia (Hewitson, 1867)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1649. Retrieved 2009-11-29. 

External links

• "Caesalpinia mexicana Mexican bird of paradise". Arid Plant List. University of Arizona. 2006-03-16. http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Caesalpinia_mexicana.html.