Parkinsonia
Content
Description
Trees or shrubs, armed; branches slender, often pendent.
Leaves crowded on short shoots, spiral, bipinnate, 2 (4, or 6) opposite pinnae, the rachis of pinnae elongate, flattened, phyllodial.
Stipules spinescent, persistent or caducous.
Inflorescences of racemose units, crowded on short shoots; bracts and bracteoles absent or absent at anthesis.
Flowers perfect, showy, fragrant.
Petals 5, slightly zygomorphic or very zygomorphic, imbricate, clawed.
Stamens 10, more or less equal or unequal in length, free, fertile; anthers introrsely or longitudinally dehiscent.
Ovary stipitate, free, 6-15-ovuled; style filiform; stigma minute.
Seeds albuminous.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, tropical and subtropical America and S Africa
Monotypic or consisting of 11-15 species, depending on the interpretation of generic limits; native of tropical and subtropical America and S Africa. One species cultivated in Malesia.