Parkinsonia

Parkinsonia (pronounced /ˌpɑrkɨnˈsoʊniə/, syn. Cercidium /sərˈsɪdiəm/) is a genus of about 12 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to semi-desert regions of Africa and the Americas.

They are large shrubs or small trees growing to 5-12 metres (16-39 ft) tall, dry season deciduous, with sparse, open, thorny crowns and green bark. The leaves are pinnate, sometimes bipinnate, with numerous small leaflets; they are only borne for a relatively short time after rains, with much of the photosynthesis carried out by the green twigs and branches. The flowers are symmetrical or nearly so, with five yellow or white petals. The fruit is a pod containing several seeds. Most American species are known by the common name of palo verde or paloverde, from the Spanish words meaning "green pole" or "green stick". This name is derived from its characteristic green trunk.

Selected species

Africa
Parkinsonia africana (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa)
Parkinsonia anacantha (Kenya)
Parkinsonia raimondoi Brenan (Somalia)
Parkinsonia scioana (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya)
Americas
Parkinsonia aculeata L. - Mexican Palo Verde (Texas and Arizona in the United States south to Argentina; Galápagos Islands)
Parkinsonia carterae (Western Mexico south to Ecuador)
Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A.Gray) S.Wats. (syn. Cercidium floridum) - Blue Palo Verde (Southern California, Arizona, northwestern Mexico)
Parkinsonia microphylla Torr. (syn. Cercidium microphyllum) - Foothill Palo Verde (Southern California, Arizona, northwestern Mexico)
Parkinsonia praecox (syn. Cercidium praecox) - Brea, Verde olivo (Mexico south to Argentina)
Parkinsonia texana (syn. Cercidium texanum) - Texas Palo Verde (Texas, northeastern Mexico)

Translation

The word "Parkinsonia" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Spanish.

Translation(s) in other languages: German: Parkinsonien, Portuguese: Cercidium, Swedish: Jerusalemtörnesläktet.