Prosopis campestris

Species

Prosopis campestris Griseb.

Family

Fabaceae

Subfamily

Mimosoideae

NOTE

NOTE: Only two seeds of Prosopis campestris 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, compressed, nearly straight to subfalcate, 5–8 cm long, 7–10 mm wide, ca. 3 mm thick. Short-stipitate, margins undulate. Yellowish-brown, smooth, pubescent when immature, with prominent longitudinal striations; seed chambers 6–11, with transverse linear constrictions between them. Endocarp segments oblique-subquadrate, boney, closed, 6–8 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, 2–3 mm thick; mesocarp thin, dry. Seeds oriented longitudinally.

Seeds elliptic to asymmetrically elliptic or subrhombic in outline, 2.7–4.5 mm long, 1.7–3.5 mm wide, 0.6–2 mm thick, with an umbo, +/– elliptic in cross section. Pleurogram average in size or quite small and narrow. Lens a mound.

Identification considerations

Similar species

Prosopis elata (Burkart) Burkart (Pods are similar.)

Distribution

Argentina

General information

Prosopis campestris is a spiny, dwarf shrub, 10–50 cm tall. It is quite localized and rare, yet in the Rio Tercero region of Argentina it is considered a nuisance on land intended for agriculture.