Erythrostemon mexicanus

Erythrostemon mexicanus is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include Mexican holdback,[2] Mexican caesalpinia, and tabachín del monte.[3] It is native to the extreme lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas[4] in the United States and south to central Mexico.[5] Its range in Mexico includes the northeast and further south along the Gulf coast as well as the Pacific coast in Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and a small portion of Sinaloa.[6]

Erythrostemon mexicanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Rosids
Order:
Fabales
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Erythrostemon
Species:
E. mexicana
Binomial name
Erythrostemon mexicana
(A.Gray 1861) E. Gagnon & G. P. Lewis 2016
Natural range
Synonyms[1]
  • Caesalpinia mexicana A.Gray 1861
  • Poinciana mexicana
    (A.Gray) Rose 1911
  • Poincianella mexicana
    (A.Gray) Britton & Rose 1930

Description

Mexican holdback is a small evergreen tree or large shrub, reaching a height of 3–4.6 m (9.8–15.1 ft) and a spread of 1.8–3 m (5.9–9.8 ft). Leaves are bipinnately-compound and dark green.[7] Each leaf has five to nine pinnae 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) in length.[8] Pinnae are composed of four to five leaflets[7] that are 1–2.5 cm (0.39–0.98 in) long and 0.7–1.3 cm (0.28–0.51 in) wide.[8] Yellow, slightly fragrant flowers are produced on 7.6–15.2 cm (3.0–6.0 in) terminal spikes[7] of 10 to 30.[3] Blooming takes place from February to July, often continuing to October. The fruit is a dehiscent tan or yellow seedpod 5.1–7.6 cm (2.0–3.0 in) in length.[7]

Uses

Mexican holdback is cultivated as an ornamental because of its showy flowers, lush,[3] fine-textured foliage, and drought tolerance.[9]

Ecology

Erythrostemon mexicanus is the host plant for the caterpillars of the curve-winged metalmark (Emesis emesia).[10]

gollark: I think it is written somewhere that anything you promise to do is considered, well, binding by the eldræ, so that's not massively far off.
gollark: We should just get rid of the non-cubicley toilets.
gollark: (probably not, but it would be kind of ironic)
gollark: Random idea: maybe people's belief in the bystander effect *causes* the bystander effect.
gollark: Unless the universe is just being simulated by accident as part of solving some complex optimization problem or something weird like that.

References
  1. "Caesalpinia mexicana A. Gray". TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  2. "Caesalpinia mexicana A. Gray Mexican holdback". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  3. Nokes, Jill (2001). How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (2 ed.). University of Texas Press. pp. 151–152. ISBN 978-0-292-75573-4.
  4. "Mexican Caesalpinia, Mexican Poinciana". Benny Simpson's Texas Native Trees. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
  5. "Caesalpinia mexicana". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  6. Little, Jr., Elbert L. (1976). Atlas of United States Trees (PDF). Volume 3, Minor Western Hardwoods. US Government Printing Office. Library of Congress No. 79-653298. Map 27-N & Map 27-SW, Caesalpinia mexicana
  7. Irish, Mary (2008). Trees and Shrubs for the Southwest: Woody Plants for Arid Gardens. Timber Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-0-88192-905-8.
  8. Richardson, Alfred (1995). Plants of the Rio Grande Delta. University of Texas Press. pp. 103–104. ISBN 978-0-292-77070-6.
  9. Gilman, Edward F (October 1999). "Caesalpinia mexicana Mexican Caesalpinia" (PDF). IFAS Extension. University of Florida. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
  10. "Curve-winged Metalmark Emesis emesia (Hewitson, 1867)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved 2009-11-29.


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