| Prosopis glandulosa | |
|---|---|
 P. glandulosa foliage and seedpods | |
| Conservation status | |
| Taxonomy | |
| Kingdom | |
| Phylum/Division | |
| Class | |
| Order |
Fabales |
| Family |
Fabaceae |
| Genus |
Prosopis |
| Species |
P. glandulosa |
| Naming and discovery | |
| Botanist |
Torr., 1827 |
Prosopis glandulosa (Honey Mesquite or in Seri: haas) is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae family. It is native to the southwest United States and northern Mexico. The species is included in the Mesquite Bosque plant association community.
It has been introduced to atleast a half-dozen other countries. According to the IUCN, it is one of the world's 100 worst invasive species.
Description and ecology[]
Seed pods of P. glandulosa
It is a small to medium-sized tree that usually grows between 20-30 ft (6.1-9.1 m) tall, but can grow as tall as 50 ft (15 m). Its growth rate is considered as medium. The bark of the Honey Mesquite is reddish brown in color and is fissured. Honey Mesquite coppices due to latent buds underground, making permanent removal of the plant very difficult. A tree with only one trunk will soon be replaced by a multi-trunked version. The leaves are alternate or bipinnate, with 6-17 leaflets.
It flowers from March to November, with pale yellow elongated spikes, and eventually mature into a seedpod.
The plant provides food for several animals. The seeds are eaten by the Scaled Quail. Both the seedpods and the vegetation are also eaten by animals, including deer, Collared Peccaries, and jackrabbits.
Uses[]
P. glandulosa bark
The Seri people of northwest Mexico used parts of this plant for food and non-food purposes. The Seris had specific names for some stages in growth of the mesquite pod. Historically, it was a very important plant for food, because it fruits even during very dry years.
The wood of the Honey Mesquite is used often in woodworking and fencing. Its bark has medicinal properties that help treat eye problems, skin ulcers, sore throats, and sometimes as a digestive aid. Clear sap is used to make candy, while darker sap is used in making black dye.
Varieties[]
- Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa
- Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (L.D.Benson) M.C.Johnst., 1962
Book sources[]
- Trees, pg. 206