Prosopis chilensis (Molina) Stuntz

Algarrobo (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Fabales > Fabaceae > Prosopis

Characteristics

A tree. It grows 10-20 m high. It has thorns. The leaves are compound. They are divided into leaflets along the stalk. They are 12-15 cm long. The leaflets are opposite. They are long and narrow. They are 2-2.5 cm long by 2 mm wide. The flowering stalk hangs down. The flowers are green or yellow. The fruit is a pod. It is 10-20 cm long. It is slightly curved. The seeds are 6-7 mm across.
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Multi-stemmed shrub or tree, up to 4 m high. Spines straight, paired at nodes. Leaves drooping; leaflets long and slender, widely spaced, 7-22 per pinna, yellow-green. Flowers: in axillary spikes; only 10 stamens per flower; corolla bright yellow; Oct.-Feb. Pods broad and thick, not constricted around seeds.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 11.0 - 12.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 0.75
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

A tropical plant. In Chile it grows at low altitudes. It can grow in drier areas. It grows in full sun. It grows in dry sandy soils. It can grow in salty soils. It grows from sea level to 2,900 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows between 500-2,500 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 150-400 mm. It can grow in arid places.
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A common ruderal weed, coming up singly and in groups along roadsides, round habitations, on refuse dumps and in other disturbed habitats; in arid and semi-arid regions.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-5
Soil texture 3-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

The soft part of the pods are eaten. They are ground into meal and made into cakes. They are also used for a sweet drink and are fermented into beer. The seeds are also edible.
Uses animal food bee plant breeding charcoal environmental use fodder food forage fuel gum material medicinal ornamental shade vertebrate poison windbreak wood
Edible fruits pods seeds
Therapeutic use Lung neoplasms (fruit), Anti-bacterial agents (leaf), Antirheumatic agents (leaf), Conjunctivitis (leaf), Furunculosis (leaf), Antifungal agents (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds have a hard outer coat which must be broken before germination. They should then be soaked before planting.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -5
Optimum temperature (C°) 22 - 30
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Prosopis chilensis habit picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Prosopis chilensis leaf picture by Fama' Francesco (cc-by-sa)
Prosopis chilensis leaf picture by di Parodi (cc-by-sa)
Prosopis chilensis leaf picture by di Parodi (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Prosopis chilensis fruit picture by Fisicaro Fernando Guillermo (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Prosopis chilensis world distribution map, present in Argentina, American Samoa, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Chile, India, Myanmar, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and South Africa

Conservation status

Prosopis chilensis threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:210426-2
WFO ID wfo-0000169469
COL ID 4MW69
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Prosopis siliquastrum Acacia siliquastrum Mimosa siliquastrum Ceratonia chilensis Prosopis schinopoma Prosopis siliquosa Prosopis chilensis var. chilensis Prosopis chilensis

Lower taxons

Prosopis chilensis var. riojana