Prosopis fiebrigii

Species

Prosopis fiebrigii Harms

Family

Fabaceae

Subfamily

Mimosoideae

NOTE

NOTE: Only two seeds of Prosopis fiebrigii were available for examination. Therefore, the description and images in this fact sheet may not be representative of this species’ seeds.

Common names

mesquite

Description

Pods linear, straight or subfalcate to falcate, compressed, 14–29 cm long, 11–18 mm wide, ca. 4 mm thick. Stipitate, acuminate at apex, margins nearly straight. Smooth, straw-yellow when ripe, veins faint, mostly parallel longitudinal ridges; seed chambers 23–32, umbonate before ripening. Endocarp segments subquadrate, boney, closed, broader than long, ca. 5 mm long, 10–15 mm wide, 2–3 mm thick; mesocarp pulpy. Seeds oriented longitudinally.

Seeds asymmetrically obovate or broadly oblong in outline, 5–6.5 mm long, 2.5–4.25 mm wide, 1.75–2.5 mm thick, with an umbo, elliptic in cross section. Pleurogram rather wide, with long arms. Lens a light-colored mound.

Identification considerations

Seeds are asymmetrically oblong and have a rather large, wide pleurogram.

Similar species

Prosopis alba Griseb. var. panta (Pod is similar.). [No image available.] (non-FNW)

Prosopis hassleri Harms (Pod is similar.)

Distribution

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay

Habitat

dry, open grassland areas

General information

Prosopis fiebrigii is a mostly unarmed tree, 4–15 m tall. This species is quite localized and rare. The pulp of the pod is probably edible.