Parkinsonia

"Paloverde" redirects here. For other uses, see Paloverde (disambiguation).

For the ammonite genus Parkinsonia, see Parkinsonia (ammonite)

Parkinsonia
File:Starr 010209-0260 Parkinsonia aculeata.jpg
Flowers and leaves of Parkinsonia aculeata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Tribe:	Caesalpinieae
Genus:	Parkinsonia L.
Type species
Parkinsonia aculeata L.
Species
See text
Synonyms
Cercidiopsis Britton & Rose Cercidium Tul. Peltophoropsis Chiov. Rhetinophloeum H.Karst.

Parkinsonia /ˌpɑːrkᵻnˈsoʊniə/, also Cercidium /sərˈsɪdiəm/, is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 12 species that are native to semi-desert regions of Africa and the Americas. The name of the genus honors English apothecary and botanist John Parkinson (1567–1650).

They are large shrubs or small trees growing to 5–12 m (16–39 ft) tall, dry season deciduous, with sparse, open, thorny crowns and green bark. The leaves are pinnate, sometimes bipinnate, with numerous small leaflets; they are only borne for a relatively short time after rains, with much of the photosynthesis carried out by the green twigs and branches. The flowers are symmetrical or nearly so, with five yellow or white petals. The fruit is a pod containing several seeds.

Most American species are known by the common name of palo verde or paloverde, from the Spanish words meaning "green pole" or "green stick". This name is derived from its characteristic green trunk. The palo verde (not species-specific) is the state tree of Arizona.

Centris pallida

A major pollinator for these plants is Centris pallida. C. pallida obtain nectar and pollen from this plant to fill a brood pot so that their larva will have food when they hatch. The nectar and pollen give the bee bread a strong orange color.

Selected species

• Parkinsonia aculeata L. – Mexican palo verde (Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of the United States and Mexico and southward to Argentina; Galápagos Islands)
• Parkinsonia africana Sond. (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa)
• Parkinsonia anacantha Brenan (Kenya)
• Parkinsonia andicola (Griseb.) S.Watson (syn. Cercidium andicola)
• Parkinsonia carterae (Western Mexico south to Ecuador)
• Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A.Gray) S.Watson (syn. Cercidium floridum) – blue palo verde (Southern California, Arizona, northwestern Mexico)
• Parkinsonia microphylla Torr. (syn. Cercidium microphyllum) – foothill palo verde (Southern California, Arizona, northwestern Mexico)
• Parkinsonia praecox (Ruiz & Pav.) J.A.Hawkins (syn. Cercidium praecox) – brea, verde olivo (Northwest Mexico and South America - south to Argentina)
• Parkinsonia raimondoi Brenan (Somalia)
• Parkinsonia scioana (Chiov.) Brenan (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya)
• Parkinsonia texana (A.Gray) S.Watson (syn. Cercidium texanum) – Texas palo verde (Texas, northeastern Mexico)
  • Parkinsonia texana var. macra (I.M.Johnst.) Isely
  • Parkinsonia texana var. texana

References

• ILDIS Legume index: Parkinsonia

External links

• USDA PLANTS Profile

• Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607