Caesalpinia bonduc

Primary tabs

Caesalpinia bonduc

Description

Liana up to 15 m. Branchlets usually armed with straight or recurved prickles (1-10 mm). Leaves: rachis 15-80 cm long; pinnae 6-11 pairs, 8-20 cm long, rachis sometimes prolonged to 3 mm. Stipules subpersistent, pinnately or 3-5-lobed, lobes ovate, c. 5-20 mm long. Inflorescences supra-axillary and terminal, racemose or paniculate, 30-60 cm long, the rachis densely hairy; bracts lanceolate, 8-15 by c. 1 mm; pedicels 2-6 mm, articulated 0.5-1 mm below the flower. Flowers unisexual, buds ovoid, pubescent. Sepals 7-10 by 2-3 mm. Petals 7-10 by 2-3 mm, clawed (claw c. 3 mm long). Stamens: filaments 6-10 mm; anthers c. 1.25 mm long; staminodes in female flowers c. 6 mm. Seeds 1 or 2, ovoid to globular, 15-20 mm long, smooth, grey, with parallel lines concentric with the hilum.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Pantropic present, Western New Guinea present
Pantropic. In Malesia all over, but distinctly scarce in the rain forest areas in Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippines and western New Guinea.

Ecology

Flowers and fruits often occurring together without periodicity.

Citation

emend. Dandy & Exell 1938 – In: J. Bot.: 179
Rudd 1991 – In: Fl. Ceylon: 48.
Hattink 1974: p. 17. – In: Reinwardtia: f. 3
Verdc. 1979 – In: Manual New Guinea Leg., Lae Bot. Bull.: 23