Prosopis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in arid soil and are resistant to drought, on occasion developing extremely deep root systems. Their wood is usually hard, dense and durable. Their fruits are pods and may contain large amounts of sugar. The generic name means "burdock" in late Latin and originated in the Greek language.[4]
| Prosopis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Prosopis caldenia, a species of central Argentina. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Prosopis L.[1] |
| Type species | |
| Prosopis spicigera L.[2]
| |
| Species | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Selected species
edit- Mesquites (southern United States, Mexico)
- Prosopis glandulosa Torr. – honey mesquite; Haas (Cmiique Iitom)
- Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) M.C.Johnst. – smooth mesquite
- Prosopis pubescens Benth. – screwbean mesquite
- Prosopis reptans Benth. – tornillo
- Prosopis velutina Wooton – velvet mesquite
- "Algarrobos", bayahondas etc. (Neotropics, particularly the Gran Chaco)
- Prosopis abbreviata Benth. – algarrobillo espinoso
- Prosopis affinis Spreng. – nandubay, algarrobillo, espinillo, Ibopé-morotí
- Prosopis alba Griseb. – algarrobo blanco; ibopé or igopé (Guaraní)
- Prosopis caldenia Burkart – caldén
- Prosopis chilensis (Molina) Stuntz – algarrobo Chileno, algarrobo blanco
- Prosopis fiebrigii Harms
- Prosopis flexuosa DC. – alpataco, algarrobo negro
- Prosopis hassleri Harms
- Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. – bayahonda blanca, bayarone Français; kabuli kikar, vilayati babul, vilayati khejra or vilayati kikar (Hindi); trupillo or turpío (Wayuunaiki)
- Prosopis kuntzei Harms ex Kuntze – itín, barba de tigre, carandá, palo mataco
- Prosopis nigra (Griseb.) Hieron. – algarrobo negro, algarrobo amarillo, algarrobo dulce, algarrobo morado
- Prosopis pallida (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Kunth – American carob, huarango, kiawe (Hawaiian)
- Prosopis rojasiana Burkart
- Prosopis ruscifolia Griseb. – vinal
- Prosopis strombulifera (Lam.) Benth. – creeping mesquite, Argentine screwbean
- Prosopis tamarugo Phil. – tamarugo
- African species
- Asian species (India, mainly Rajasthan, Sri Lanka to the Arabian Peninsula)
- Prosopis cineraria ** Prosopis spicigera (L.) Druce – jand; ghaf (Arabic); sami or sumri (Gujarati); khejri, sangri (Rajasthani); kandi (Sindhi)
- Prosopis farcta (Sol. ex Russell) J.F.Macbr.
- Prosopis koelziana Burkart (Iran)
Formerly placed here
edit- Anonychium africanum (Guill. & Perr.) C.E.Hughes & G.P.Lewis (as P. africana)– gele (Malinke, traditional djembe wood)
- Acacia atramentaria Benth. (as P. astringens Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.)
- Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels (as P. elephantina (Burch.) E.Mey. or P. elephantorrhiza Spreng.)
- Prosopidastrum globosum (Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.) Burkart (as P. globosa Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.)
Taxonomic reclassification
editGenomic research published in 2022 concludes that species grouped under the genus Prosopis actually represent multiple genera including Anonychium, Neltuma, Prosopis, and Strombocarpa.[5]
Phytochemistry
editProsopis species have been found to contain 5-hydroxytryptamine, apigenin, isorhamnetin-3-diglucoside, l-arabinose, quercetin, tannin, and tryptamine.[6]
| Prosopis alba | Beta-phenethylamine and tryptamine[7] |
| Prosopis alpataco | "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives.[8] |
| Prosopis argentina | "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives.[8] |
| Prosopis chilensis | "Aerial parts" contain beta-phenethylamine and derivatives plus tryptamine[8][9] |
| Prosopis argentina | Exudate contains tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives.[8] |
| Prosopis glandulosa | Alkaloids in bark and roots,[6] tyramine and N-methyltyramine (a stimulant) in leaves[10] |
| Prosopis juliflora | 5-HTP (plant) and tryptamine (plant).[11] |
| Prosopis nigra | Harman, eleagnine, and N-acetyltryptamine[12] |
| Prosopis pugionata | "Aerial parts" contain tryptamine, phenethylamine derivatives.[8] |
| Prosopis tamarugo | Phenethylamine[9] |
The tannins present in Prosopis species are of the pyrogallotannin and pyrocatecollic types.[13] The tannins are mainly found in the bark and wood, while their concentration in the pods is low.[14]
Some species, such as P. africana or P. velutina, produce a gum (mesquite gum).[15]
As an introduced and invasive species
editThe species Prosopis pallida was introduced to Hawaii in 1828 and now dominates many of the drier coastal parts of the islands, where it is called the kiawe tree and is a prime source of monofloral honey production.[16]
In Australia, invasive Prosopis species are causing severe economic and environmental damage. With their thorns and many low branches, Prosopis shrubs form impenetrable thickets which prevent cattle from accessing watering holes, etc. They also take over pastoral grasslands and suck up scarce water. Prosopis species cause land erosion due to loss of grassland that are habitats for native plants and animals. Prosopis thickets also provide shelter for feral animals such as pigs and cats.[17]
For more information on invasiveness of mesquite species, see Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis juliflora.
Eradication
editEradicating Prosopis is difficult because the plant's bud regeneration zone can extend down to 6 in (150 mm) below ground level;[18][19] the tree can regenerate from a piece of root left in the soil.[18] Some herbicides are not effective or only partially effective against mesquite. Spray techniques for removal, while effective against short-term regrowth, are expensive, costing more than $70/acre ($170/hectare) in the USA. Removing large trees requires tracked equipment; costs can approach $2,000 per acre. In Australia, several techniques are used to remove Prosopis.[17]
See also
editReferences
editNotes
edit- ^ "Prosopis L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1999-03-05. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
- ^ "Prosopis L." TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
- ^ Prosopis L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. Vol. 4 M-Q. CRC Press. p. 2171. ISBN 978-0-8493-2677-6.
- ^ Hughes, Colin E.; Ringelberg, Jens; Lewis, G. P.; Catalano, Santiago (August 2022). "Disintegration of the genus Prosopis L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade)". PhytoKeys (205). Pensoft Publishers: 147–189. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.205.75379. PMC 9849005. PMID 36762004.
- ^ a b Medicinal Plants of the Southwest Archived 2007-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Graziano MN, Ferraro GE, Coussio JD (December 1971). "Alkaloids of Argentine medicinal plants. II. Isolation of tyramine, beta-phenethylamine and tryptamine from Prosopis alba". Lloydia. 34 (4): 453–4. PMID 5173440.
- ^ a b c d e Tapia A, Egly Feresin G, Bustos D, Astudillo L, Theoduloz C, Schmeda-Hirschmann G (July 2000). "Biologically active alkaloids and a free radical scavenger from Prosopis species". J Ethnopharmacol. 71 (1–2): 241–6. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00171-9. PMID 10904169.
- ^ a b Luis Astudillo; Guillermo Schmeda-Hirschmann; Juan P Herrera; Manuel Cortés (April 2000). "Proximate composition and biological activity of Chilean Prosopis species". J Sci Food Agric. 80 (5): 567–573. Bibcode:2000JSFA...80..567A. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(200004)80:5<567::AID-JSFA563>3.0.CO;2-Y. Archived from the original on 2012-12-16.
- ^ "Prosopis glandulosa". www.hort.purdue.edu. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
- ^ Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
- ^ Constantino Manuel Torres; David B. Repke (15 March 2006). Anadenanthera: visionary plant of ancient South America. Psychology Press. pp. 134–. ISBN 978-0-7890-2642-2.
- ^ P. juliflora as a source of food and medicine for rural inhabitants in Rio Grande do Norte. ROCHA, R. G. A. In: The Current State of Knowledge on Prosopis juliflora. (Eds.) M. A. Habit and J. C. Saavedra. FAO,, 1990 Rome, Italy, pages 397-403
- ^ Pasiecznik, N.M.; Felker, P.; Harris, P.J.C.; Harsh, L.N.; Cruz, G.; Tewari, J.C.; Cadoret, K.; Maldonado, L.J. (2001). The Prosopis juliflora—Prosopis pallida Complex: A Monograph (PDF). ISBN 978-0-905343-30-3.
- ^ Adikwu, MU; Ezeabasili, SI; Esimone, CO (2001). "Evaluation of the physico-chemical properties of a new polysaccharide gum from Prosopis africana". Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico. 140 (1): 40–5. PMID 11338777.
- ^ Prosopis pallida species info
- ^ a b ""Mesquite (Prosopis species)" Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra" (PDF).
- ^ a b Mesquite Info
- ^ The Mesquite
General references
edit- Paciecznik, N. M., Harris P. J. C., & S. J. Smith. 2003. Identifying Tropical Prosopis Species: A Field Guide. HDRA, Coventry, UK. ISBN 0-905343-34-4.
- Handbook on taxonomy of Prosopis in Mexico, Peru and Chile (FAO Document Repository)
- Plant Walk I: Old Main (website of the Vascular Plant Herbarium of the University of Arizona in Tucson)
- Plant Walk 1 UofA
- Plant Walk 2 UofA
External links
edit
Media related to Prosopis at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Prosopis at Wikispecies- U.S. Federal Noxious Weed List (USDA)
- The Prosopis Website (Has a nice range map)
