Huisache

The plant yields high class gum and the flowers are used for perfume in South Europe but none of these products are exploited in W. Pakistan. The bark and seeds are used for tanning. The plant makes good fence.

A shrub or small tree, branches slightly zigzag, marked with grey or pale brown dots, young twigs glabrescent. Spines stipular, in pairs, straight, c. 7-18 mm long. Rachis 1.2-5.5 cm long, pilose, petiole usually with a small gland, about the middle. Pinnae 2-8 pairs, c.1.2-2.5 cm long, leaflets 10-20 pairs, sessile, c.2.5-5.5 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm wide, linear, oblong, acute, base oblique, glabrous to subglabrous. Inflorescence globose pedunculate heads in axillary fascicles, peduncle c. 1.2-2.5 cm long, slender, pubescent; bracts whorled, at or near the apex of the peduncle. Calyx c. 1.5-1.8 mm long, campanulate. Corolla c. 2.5 mm long. Pod 4.5-7.5 cm long, c. 1.2 cm broad slightly curved, dark brown, mesocarp pulpy. Seeds numerous, biseriate.

Pantropics, a native of tropical America.

Distribution: Said to be a native of America. Cosmopolitan in Tropics, often planted in W. Pakistan.

200-1100 m

Fl. Per. November-March.