Prosopis

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Prosopis
Prosopis caldenia.jpg
Prosopis caldenia , a species of central Argentina.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Prosopis
L. [1]
Type species
Prosopis spicigera
L. [2]
Species

See text

Synonyms [3]
  • DasiogynaRaf. (1832)
  • LagonychiumM.Bieb. (1819)
  • PleuromenesRaf. (1838)

Prosopis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in arid soil and are resistant to drought, on occasion developing extremely deep root systems. Their wood is usually hard, dense and durable. Their fruits are pods and may contain large amounts of sugar. The generic name means "burdock" in late Latin and originated in the Greek language. [4]

Contents

Selected species

Formerly placed here

Taxonomic reclassification

Genomic research published in 2022 concludes that species grouped under the genus Prosopis actually represent multiple genera including Anonychium , Neltuma , Prosopis, and Strombocarpa . [5]

Phytochemistry

Prosopis species have been found to contain 5-hydroxytryptamine, apigenin, isorhamnetin-3-diglucoside, l-arabinose, quercetin, tannin, and tryptamine. [6]

Prosopis species known to contain alkaloids
Prosopis alba Beta-phenethylamine and tryptamine [7]
Prosopis alpataco "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives. [8]
Prosopis argentina "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives. [8]
Prosopis chilensis "Aerial parts" contain beta-phenethylamine and derivatives plus tryptamine [8] [9]
Prosopis argentina Exudate contains tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives. [8]
Prosopis glandulosa Alkaloids in bark and roots, [6] tyramine and N-methyltyramine (a stimulant) in leaves [10]
Prosopis juliflora 5-HTP (plant) and tryptamine (plant). [11]
Prosopis nigra Harman, eleagnine, and N-acetyltryptamine [12]
Prosopis pugionata "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives. [8]
Prosopis tamarugo Phenethylamine [9]

The tannins present in Prosopis species are of the pyrogallotannin and pyrocatecollic types. [13] The tannins are mainly found in the bark and wood, while their concentration in the pods is low. [14]

Some species, such as P. africana or P. velutina , produce a gum (mesquite gum). [15]

As an introduced and invasive species

The species Prosopis pallida was introduced to Hawaii in 1828 and now dominates many of the drier coastal parts of the islands, where it is called the kiawe tree and is a prime source of monofloral honey production. [16]

In Australia, invasive Prosopis species are causing severe economic and environmental damage. With their thorns and many low branches, Prosopis shrubs form impenetrable thickets which prevent cattle from accessing watering holes, etc. They also take over pastoral grasslands and suck up scarce water. Prosopis species cause land erosion due to loss of grassland that are habitats for native plants and animals. Prosopis thickets also provide shelter for feral animals such as pigs and cats. [17]

For more information on invasiveness of mesquite species, see Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis juliflora .

Eradication

Eradicating Prosopis is difficult because the plant's bud regeneration zone can extend down to 6 in (150 mm) below ground level; [18] [19] the tree can regenerate from a piece of root left in the soil. [18] Some herbicides are not effective or only partially effective against mesquite. Spray techniques for removal, while effective against short-term regrowth, are expensive, costing more than $70/acre ($170/hectare) in the USA. Removing large trees requires tracked equipment; costs can approach $2,000 per acre. In Australia, several techniques are used to remove Prosopis. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Smilax</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Smilacaceae

Smilax is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. They are climbing flowering plants, many of which are woody and/or thorny, in the monocotyledon family Smilacaceae, native throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Common names include catbriers, greenbriers, prickly-ivys and smilaxes. Sarsaparilla is a name used specifically for the Neotropical S. ornata as well as a catch-all term in particular for American species. Occasionally, the non-woody species such as the smooth herbaceous greenbrier are separated as genus Nemexia; they are commonly known by the rather ambiguous name carrion flowers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesquite</span> Several species of leguminous trees

Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus Prosopis, which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under ground. As a legume, mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogen in the desert habitat. The trees bloom from spring to summer. They often produce fruits known as "pods". Prosopis spp. are able to grow up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall, depending on site and climate. They are deciduous and depending on location and rainfall have either deep or shallow roots. Prosopis is considered long-lived because of the low mortality rate after the dicotyledonous stage and juveniles are also able to survive in conditions with low light and drought. The Cahuilla indigenous people of western North America were known to eat the seeds of mesquite.

<i>Dioscorea</i> Genus of yams

Dioscorea is a genus of over 600 species of flowering plants in the family Dioscoreaceae, native throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. The vast majority of the species are tropical, with only a few species extending into temperate climates. It was named by the monk Charles Plumier after the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides.

<i>Neltuma juliflora</i> Species of legume

Neltuma juliflora is a shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae, a kind of mesquite. It is native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It has become established as an invasive weed in Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere. It is a contributing factor to continuing transmission of malaria, especially during dry periods when sugar sources from native plants are largely unavailable to mosquitoes.

<i>Calliandra</i> Genus of legumes

Calliandra is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, in the mimosoid clade of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It contains about 140 species that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

<i>Calandrinia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Calandrinia is a genus of flowering plants known as purslanes and redmaids. It includes 37 species of annual and perennial herbs which bear colorful flowers in shades of red to purple and white. Species of this genus are native to the Americas, including western and southern South America, Central America, and western North America. Some species have been introduced to parts of Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, Asia, and Europe. Over 60 species native to Australia and New Guinea that were formerly included in Calandrinia are now placed in a separate genus, Rumicastrum or Parakeelya. A single eastern Australian species named in 2022, Calandrinia petrophila, is still included in Calandrinia, but will be placed into the Australian genus when the name of the new genus is finally settled.

<i>Prosopis pallida</i> Species of legume

Prosopis pallida is a species of mesquite tree. It has the common names kiawe, huarango and American carob, as well as "bayahonda", "algarrobo pálido", and "algarrobo blanco". It is a thorny legume, native to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, particularly drier areas near the coast. While threatened in its native habitat, it is considered an invasive species in many other places.

<i>Colletia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Colletia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rhamnaceae, with five species of spiny shrubs. All species of this genus are native to southern South America. They are non-legume nitrogen fixers.

<i>Centrosema</i> Genus of legumes

Centrosema, the butterfly peas, is a genus of American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). It includes 44 species, which range through the tropical and warm-temperate Americas from the southern United States to northern Argentina. Species include:

<i>Prosopis tamarugo</i> Species of plant


Prosopis tamarugo, commonly known as the tamarugo, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamilia Mimosoideae. It is only found in northern Chile, particularly in the Pampa del Tamarugal, some 70 km (43 mi) east of the city of Iquique. This bushy tree apparently grows without the benefit of rainfall, and it is thought to obtain some water from dew. Studies indicate it is a Phreatophyte; having deep roots that tap into ground water supplies. It also participates in hydraulic redistribution moving water from deeper levels to the upper and also reversing the process in times of severe drought.

<i>Senegalia</i> Genus of plants in the Fabaceae family, almost worldwide

Senegalia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the Mimosoid clade. Until 2005, its species were considered members of Acacia. The genus was considered polyphyletic and required further division, with the genera Parasenegalia and Pseudosenegalia accepted soon after.

<i>Adesmia</i> (plant) Genus of legumes

Adesmia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It was recently assigned to the informal monophyletic Adesmia clade within the Dalbergieae.

<i>Galactia</i> Genus of legumes

Galactia is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae). It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae and tribe Diocleae They do not have an unambiguous common name, being commonly called milk peas, beach peas or wild peas. They are perennial herbs or subshrubs with prostrate, climbing, or erect forms.

Erythrostemon is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Its native range is tropical & subtropical America.

Northern Ridge biodiversity park, in Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range is a 87 hectares biodiversity area in the Northern Ridge in Delhi, India. It lies in the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor.

<i>Neltuma</i> Genus of flowering plants

Neltuma is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae). It includes 43 species native to the Americas. The species range from the southwestern and central United States through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America to southern Argentina.

References

Notes

  1. "Prosopis L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1999-03-05. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  2. "Prosopis L." TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  3. Prosopis L. Plants of the World Online . Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  4. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. Vol. 4 M-Q. CRC Press. p. 2171. ISBN   978-0-8493-2677-6.
  5. Hughes, Colin E.; Ringelberg, Jens; Lewis, G. P.; Catalano, Santiago (August 2022). "Disintegration of the genus Prosopis L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade)". PhytoKeys (205). Pensoft Publishers: 147–189. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.205.75379 . PMC   9849005 . PMID   36762004.
  6. 1 2 Medicinal Plants of the Southwest Archived 2007-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Graziano MN, Ferraro GE, Coussio JD (December 1971). "Alkaloids of Argentine medicinal plants. II. Isolation of tyramine, beta-phenethylamine and tryptamine from Prosopis alba". Lloydia. 34 (4): 453–4. PMID   5173440.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Tapia A, Egly Feresin G, Bustos D, Astudillo L, Theoduloz C, Schmeda-Hirschmann G (July 2000). "Biologically active alkaloids and a free radical scavenger from Prosopis species". J Ethnopharmacol. 71 (1–2): 241–6. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00171-9. PMID   10904169.
  9. 1 2 Luis Astudillo; Guillermo Schmeda-Hirschmann; Juan P Herrera; Manuel Cortés (April 2000). "Proximate composition and biological activity of Chilean Prosopis species". J Sci Food Agric. 80 (5): 567–573. Bibcode:2000JSFA...80..567A. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(200004)80:5<567::AID-JSFA563>3.0.CO;2-Y. Archived from the original on 2012-12-16.
  10. "Prosopis glandulosa". www.hort.purdue.edu. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  11. Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
  12. Constantino Manuel Torres; David B. Repke (15 March 2006). Anadenanthera: visionary plant of ancient South America. Psychology Press. pp. 134–. ISBN   978-0-7890-2642-2.
  13. P. juliflora as a source of food and medicine for rural inhabitants in Rio Grande do Norte. ROCHA, R. G. A. In: The Current State of Knowledge on Prosopis juliflora. (Eds.) M. A. Habit and J. C. Saavedra. FAO,, 1990 Rome, Italy, pages 397-403
  14. Pasiecznik, N.M.; Felker, P.; Harris, P.J.C.; Harsh, L.N.; Cruz, G.; Tewari, J.C.; Cadoret, K.; Maldonado, L.J. (2001). The Prosopis julifloraProsopis pallida Complex: A Monograph (PDF). ISBN   978-0-905343-30-3.
  15. Adikwu, MU; Ezeabasili, SI; Esimone, CO (2001). "Evaluation of the physico-chemical properties of a new polysaccharide gum from Prosopis africana". Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico. 140 (1): 40–5. PMID   11338777.
  16. Prosopis pallida species info
  17. 1 2 ""Mesquite (Prosopis species)" Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra" (PDF).
  18. 1 2 Mesquite Info
  19. The Mesquite

General references