Prosopis flexuosa, commonly known as tortuous mesquite[2] and a variety of Spanish vernacular names including algarrobo dulce and algarrobo negro,[3] is a species of flowering tree in the genus Prosopis of the family Fabaceae. It is found in arid and semi-arid regions of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, including the western Gran Chaco and the Monte Desert, where it is a conspicuous and characteristic plant of the region.[4][5] Its timber is used for construction, charcoal and fuel and its fruits are eaten by humans and livestock.
Prosopis flexuosa has several varieties exhibiting different growth forms, appearing either as trees (arboreal form) or shrubs. The arboreal form, Prosopis flexuosa var. flexuosa is a medium-sized, deciduous tree growing to a height of up to 10 m (33 ft). It has a short trunk and long branches which often grow horizontally and turn up at the ends. The shrub forms (var. depressa and fruticosa) consist of numerous branches reaching heights of 2.5 to 5 m (8 ft 2 in to 16 ft 5 in) The leaves have stems and are up to 15 cm (6 in) long. They are somewhat leathery and are pinnate with nine to seventeen pairs of leaflets. A pair (occasionally one) of strong thorns 6 cm (2 in) long grow in the axils of each leaf.[4]
The flowers are in dense racemes 6 to 14 cm (2 to 6 in) long each containing about two hundred yellowish individual flowers. They are followed by long yellow pods with purplish blotches, which have twisted margins and contain a variable number of seeds.[4] The sugar content of the seeds varies with the soil conditions and the area in which the tree is grown but the seeds are usually sweet, though sometimes bitter.
Prosopis flexuosa is endemic to arid regions of South America. Its range includes western Argentina, northern Chile and possibly the southern part of Bolivia. Its altitudinal range is from sea level to about 2,200 m (7,218 ft). It has two types of habitat, lowland dry forests and gallery forests. The annual rainfall within its range varies between about 50 and 500 millimetres (2.0 and 19.7 in).[4] The tree is tolerant of drought, cold, salt and sand and is the hardiest species in its genus. It is extremely efficient with water consumption, producing most of its fruits in drought years, and has been successfully introduced into other arid regions.
The rainy season normally starts in November and new foliage appears in early spring, irrespective of the actual arrival of the rains. The leaves may not be shed at all in mild winters. In more humid areas, the predominant species is the white quebracho (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco), followed by P. flexuosa, chaparral (Larrea divaricata), Mimozyganthus carinatus and Acacia furcatispina. Under more arid conditions, P. flexuosa may predominate in open woodland with the Chilean greenwood (Geoffroea decorticans) and an understorey of caperbush (Capparis atamisquea), saltbush (Atriplex lampa) and seablite (Suaeda divaricata) also being present.[4] The flowers produce large quantities of pollen and nectar and are beloved by bees, which also pollinate them.[6][7]
The wood is dense and hard to nail. It is used for livestock fencing and the poles for vineyards, for joinery, for the production of charcoal and for firewood. The fruits have a high nutritional content and are eaten by local people and fed to livestock. This tree is favoured by beekeepers for the production of honey.[6]
Prosopis flexuosa, commonly known as tortuous mesquite and a variety of Spanish vernacular names including algarrobo dulce and algarrobo negro, is a species of flowering tree in the genus Prosopis of the family Fabaceae. It is found in arid and semi-arid regions of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, including the western Gran Chaco and the Monte Desert, where it is a conspicuous and characteristic plant of the region. Its timber is used for construction, charcoal and fuel and its fruits are eaten by humans and livestock.
Prosopis flexuosa, otro de los alpataco, algarroba, es una especie arbórea de Sudamérica, leguminosa de la subfamilia de las Mimosoideae, con tres variedades registradas.[1]
Es endémica de Sudamérica: Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Córdoba, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Tucumán); Bolivia (La Paz, Santa Cruz); Chile (Atacama, Coquimbo).
Algarrobo, "algarrobo de caballo",[1] "algarrobo dulce", "algarroba".
Prosopis flexuosa es un árbol de tamaño mediano, de no más de 10 m en altura y 6 dm en diámetro, aunque raramente se encuentren árboles tan crecidos (por las talas); tronco corto, ramas largas, decumbentes; raíz central, con crecimiento vertical primero, y luego desarrolla raíces adventicias.
Espinas axilares, geminadas, 0,3–6 cm de largo, pocas veces solitarias, más generalmente en pares. Hojas uni o raramente biyugadas, caducas, pecíolo de 0,7–9,5 cm de largo, con pinnas de 3–15 cm de largo, a menudo arqueadas cuando secas, impresas, con 9–17 pares lineales, opuestas, principalmente glabras, obtusas, con foliólulos de 0,5–1,5 cm de largo por 0,8–1,5 mm de ancho, subcoriáceos.
Flores en racimos densos, 6–14 cm de largo. Fruto legumbre lineal, sabor generalmente dulce, agradable, aunque esto varía mucho con los distintos tipos de suelo y con la edad del árbol (aumenta la cantidad de azúcar cuando el árbol envejece), lignificado y rico en azúcares; comprimida, recta o levemente curvada, subfalcada raramente subanular, suturas paralelas, u onduladas y submoniliforme. De color amarillo pálido en la forma típica, pero frecuentemente violáceos, 7–17 cm de largo y 0,6–1,2 cm de ancho, con 5 mm de espesor. La pulpa varía de escasa a casi tan abundante como Prosopis Chilensis, dulce y a veces amarga, aunque nunca tanto como Prosopis Alpataco; 8-18 artículos del endocarpo, indehiscente (Burkart (1976). En la provincia de Río Negro se observa un fruto con bastante más pulpa que en las demás regiones.
Es una especie dominante de la vegetación. En la parte norte del monte convive con Prosopis chilensis, en el Chaco Árido con Prosopis nigra y Prosopis pugionata y en el caldenal con Prosopis caldenia.
Árbol ornamental (urbano y de cortina rompeviento). Su madera presenta alta densidad, dura de clavar, gran capacidad mecánica y excelente estabilidad dimensional (permite el trabajo en verde). *Densidad en verde: 1.150 kg/m³
Estos valores hacen que esta madera sea apta para usos tecnológicos.
Se la usa para:
Se encuentra en zonas de 50 mm a 500 mm de precipitación anual, concentradas en la época estival. Prospera bajo temperaturas que van de los 48 ºC de máxima absoluta hasta los -12 ºC de mínima absoluta. Es la especie arbórea del género que más frío tolera llegando hasta la latitud d 40° S.
El árbol es tolerante a sequía, frío, sales y arena; o sea, que es extremadamente eficiente con el consumo de agua, produce la mayoría de los frutos en años de sequía, y ha sido exitosamente introducido en regiones áridas.
En Argentina, es una especie muy común en los pastizales naturales, y es abundantemente consumida por el ganado doméstico, por lo que su valor como forrajera es alto. Posee un sistema radicular extremadamente desarrollado por lo que es muy laborioso extraerlo cuando se quiere sistematizar tierras para cultivo.
Prosopis flexuosa, otro de los alpataco, algarroba, es una especie arbórea de Sudamérica, leguminosa de la subfamilia de las Mimosoideae, con tres variedades registradas.[1]
Es endémica de Sudamérica: Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Córdoba, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Tucumán); Bolivia (La Paz, Santa Cruz); Chile (Atacama, Coquimbo).
Prosopis flexuosa é uma espécie de leguminosa do gênero Prosopis, pertencente à família Fabaceae.[1]
Prosopis flexuosa é uma espécie de leguminosa do gênero Prosopis, pertencente à família Fabaceae.
Prosopis flexuosa là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Đậu. Loài này được DC. miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên.[1]
Prosopis flexuosa là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Đậu. Loài này được DC. miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên.