| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 1–2 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1–many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1–many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1–several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.
Perennial, shrub, tree, armed or not, gland-dotted or not
Leaves odd- or even-2-compound, alternate
Inflorescence: generally raceme, axillary or terminal
Flower ± bilateral; sepals ± free, overlapped above; stamens 10, ± exserted, free
Fruit dehiscent or not, inflated or flat
Species in genus: ± 200 species: tropical, warm temp; some cultivated
Etymology: (A. Caesalpini, Italy, 1519–1603)
Reference: [Isely 1975 Mem New York Bot Garden 25(2):33–51]
| Introduced |
Shrub, small tree < 4 m
Stem ± glandular
Leaves evergreen; stipules small, persistent; 1° leaflets 8–12 pairs, not always opposite, 1.5–3 cm; 2° leaflets 7–11 pairs, < 8 mm
Inflorescence < 10 cm, wider below, many-flowered, glandular
Flower: sepals all alike, 1.5–2 cm, oblong-elliptic; petals 2–3.5 cm, yellow with orange marks; stamens 8–9 cm, strongly exserted, red
Fruit dehiscent, 6–12 cm, oblong, flat, ± curved to straight, gland-dotted
Ecology: Uncommon. Disturbed areas, urban and rural areas
Elevation: < 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: San Joaquin Valley, expected elsewhere
Distribution outside California: native to Argentina
Synonyms: Poinciana g. Hook
Fr and seeds TOXIC .