Calliandra grandiflora
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Calliandra grandiflora |
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| ( L'Hér. ) Benth. |
The Calliandra grandiflora is a plant from the genus Calliandra in the subfamily of the mimosa plants (Mimosoideae) within the family of leguminous plants (Fabaceae). It comes from Mexico and was used as a narcotic by the Aztecs in pre-Hispanic times . It is still used today in Mexican folk medicine . This species and other Calliandra species are used worldwide as ornamental plants because of their striking red inflorescences that are reminiscent of powder puffs (see powder puff shrub ).
description
Vegetative characteristics
Calliandra grandiflora grows as a large, branched, evergreen shrub and reaches heights of 3 to 6 meters. The olive-colored bark of the branches is densely covered with short hairs ( trichomes ). The opposite leaves are pinnate twice. The rachis has thick brown hairs. There are at least 15 first-order pinnacles. The 30 to 60 pairs of second-order leaflets are close together. The leaflets are about 5 mm long, linear and oblong.
Generative characteristics
At the branch tips (terminal), head-shaped partial inflorescences are formed in paniculate total inflorescences . The flower heads contain many inconspicuous flowers. Only the approximately 5 cm long, bright red stamens give the inflorescence a powder-puff- like appearance. Calliandra grandiflora flowers all year round in the tropics, but the main flowering period extends from May to October.
The legume is 7.5 to 10 cm long and 1.2 to 1.8 cm wide and has intense red hairs. The legumes ripen mainly in February. The seeds are long and flat.
Distribution and climate
Calliandra grandiflora needs a warm to hot and humid climate and does not tolerate cold or frost. It can be found in the tropical zones of Central and South America.
History and systematics
This species was in 1788 under the name Mimosa grandiflora by de Charles Louis L'Héritier breeding Elle in Sertum Anglicum , 30, panel 42 first described . It was first introduced to the genus Calliandra by George Bentham in the 20th century (1956). In 1997 Calliandra grandiflora (L'Hér.) Became Benth. set as a valid botanical name. Other synonyms are: Acacia grandiflora (L'Hér.) Willd., Anneslia strigillosa Britton & Rose, Inga anomala Kunth, Calliandra anomala ( Kunth ) JFMcBr. , Calliandra houstoniana var. Anomala (Kunth) Barneby, Calliandra strigillosa (Britton & Rose) Standl. ex Leavenw.
Popular names
Cabellito, Cabellitos de àngel / de una vara, Cabello (s) de angel, Cabeza de angel (Span. "Head of the angel"), Canela, Chak me'ex k'in (Lakandon "the red beard of the sun / sun god «), Ch'ich 'ni' (Totzil" bleeding nose "), Clagot, Coquito, Angel's Head, Hierba de Canela, Lele, Meexk'in, Pambonato, Pombotano, Red Powder Puff, Saqaqa ( Totonakian ), Tabardillo, Tepachera, Tepexiloxóchitl, Texoxóchitl, Timbre, Timbrillo, Tlacoxiloxóchitl (Aztec), Tlamacatzcatzotl, Tzonxóchitl, U me'ex k'in, Xiloxóchitl
literature
- Christian Rätsch: Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Botany, Ethnopharmacology and application . AT Verlag, Aarau 2004, ISBN 978-3-03800-352-6 , p. 118-120 .
- SI Ali: Calliandra anomala . In: Flora of Pakistan . tape 36 ( online [accessed June 6, 2008]).
Individual evidence
Most of the information in this article has been taken from the sources given under literature; the following sources are also cited:
- ^ Duncan J. Macqueen, Hector M. Hernández: A revision of Calliandra ser. Racemosae (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). In: Kew Bulletin. Volume 52, No. 1, 1997, pp. 1-50.
- ↑ Calliandra grandiflora in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.