Trees & Plants

Velvet mesquite

Giulhilaashi

Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.

It is of recent occurrence in agricultural areas in a few northern islands A multipurpose tree used for timber, fuel wood, charcoal, animal feed, medicinal purposes and for reclamation of wastelands and sand dunes. Th reat & damage: The tree is aggressive in growth and can form d

Details

§ 01

uses: A multipurpose tree used for timber, fuel wood, charcoal, animal feed, medicinal purposes and for reclamation of wastelands and sand dunes. Th reat & damage: The tree is aggressive in growth and can form dense thickets affecting the growth of native plants. The carrying capacity of the habitats will be seriously affected by the tree. It can also dry out the soil and inhibit growth of herbaceous flora. The pollen of Prosopsis may cause allergic reactions in humans. Management: Th inning and pruning of seedlings to increase spacing may be useful. Young trees can be killed by winter burning. Basal bark or cut-stump application of herbicides is effective. Since the tree is of recent introduction to Maldives and the spread is currently very limited, implementation of suitable management techniques will help in its eradication.
family: Fabaceae
synonym: Mimosa juliflora Sw., Acacia juliflora (Sw.) Willd.
description: Small trees, bark deeply fissured; branchlets armed, zig-zag, spines straight, ca. 2 cm long, solitary or paired, Th in divergent. Leaves bi-pinnate, alternate; stipular thorn to 1.5 cm long; petiole 1-5 affcm long; pinnae 2-4, even pinnate, 3-11 cm long; leaflets 22-36, opposite; lamina × 6-23 1.5-5 mm, oblong, base obtuse, apex obtuse. Flowers bisexual, 1.5 mm across, greenish-yellow, in axillary spikes, to 12 cm long. Calyx 1.5 mm long. Petals 5, ligulate. × Stamens 10. Fruit a pod, 20-30 1.5 cm, pale yellow, glossy with straight parallel sutures; seeds 10-30, hard, ovoid, brown, embedded in pulpy mesocarp.
native range: Central and South America and Mexico
distribution: Widely naturalized in the tropics
english names: Velvet mesquite · Ironwood
flowering fruiting: October - March is
occurrence maldives: It is of recent occurrence in agricultural areas in a few northern islands