Pithecellobium keyense

Pithecellobium keyense
Showing emerging flowers

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Pithecellobium
Species:
P. keyense
Binomial name
Pithecellobium keyense
Britton ex Britton & Rose

Pithecellobium keyense, commonly called Florida Keys blackbead',[2] or Florida Key apes-earring,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae).

Distribution and habitat

It is native to The Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Mexico (in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán), and the U.S. state of Florida.[3] It typically grows over sand and limestone substrates, often near coastal areas.[4][5] It is a common species throughout much of its range.[4][5]

Description

Pithecellobium keyense is a shrub or small tree. It has pinnately compound leaves, with 2-4 leaflets. The leaves are evergreen and leathery in texture. Flowers are produced in heads, and range in color from white to pink. Its fruits are a long coiled bean.[4]

  • A fruiting specimen
    A fruiting specimen

References

  1. ^ a b "Pithecellobium keyense. NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  2. ^ NRCS. "Pithecellobium keyense". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  3. ^ Grandtner, M.M. (2005). Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees: Volume 1: North America. Elsevier Science. p. 671.
  4. ^ a b c Pithecellobium keyense Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve
  5. ^ a b Florida Keys blackbead The Institute for Regional Conservation