Calliandra formosa
(Kunth) Benth.
Fabaceae
Acacia formosa Kunth
Acacia gracilis M.Martens & Galeotti
Anneslia capillata (Benth.) Britton & Rose
Anneslia formosa (Kunth) Britton & Millsp.
Anneslia penduliflora (Rose) Britton & Rose
Calliandra capillata Benth.
Calliandra coulteri S.Watson
Calliandra gentryi Standl.
Calliandra penduliflora Rose
Feuilleea formosa (Kunth) Kuntze
Zapoteca formosa (Kunth) H.M.Hern.
Common Name:
General Information
Calliandra formosa is an erect shrub growing up to 5 metres tall[
410- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 76
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a monograph of the genus Zapoteca (Calliandra) amongst other things.
].
The wood is harvested from the wild and used locally for general carpentry.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
410- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 76
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a monograph of the genus Zapoteca (Calliandra) amongst other things.
Range
S. America - Argentina, north through Central America to southwestern N. America and the Caribbean.
Habitat
Usually common in disturbed or undisturbed habitats derived from arid scrub, tropical deciduous forests, and less frequently semievergreen forests[
410- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 76
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a monograph of the genus Zapoteca (Calliandra) amongst other things.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A very variable species, it is often divided into 6 subspecies[
410- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 76
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains a monograph of the genus Zapoteca (Calliandra) amongst other things.
].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Agroforestry Uses:
All members of this genus have extensive root systems and are useful for binding the soil[
1309- Title
- The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
- Publication
-
- Author
- Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
- Publisher
- University of Wisconsin
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-333-32221-5
- Description
- An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].
Other Uses
The wood is heavy, strong and close-grained[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used for carpentry[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
