Caesalpinia coriaria (Jacq.) Willd.
Family
Leguminosae
Synonyms
None
Vernacular Names
| English | Divi divi. |
| Indonesia | Dewi. |
| Thailand | Tanyong (Bangkok). |
Geographical Distributions
Caesalpinia coriaria originates from Central and South America and was introduced and is now cultivated in Southeast Asia.
Description
Caesalpinia coriaria is a shrub or small tree that can reach up to 10 m tall. It is unarmed.
The leaves are often imparipinnate, with 4-8 pairs of pinnae, with minute stipules, awl-shaped, with 15-28 pairs of leaflets per pinna, with obliquely subcordate base and rounded to truncate at apex.
The raceme is axillary or terminal, short, condensed, almost sessile and measures 2-6 cm long. The flowers are bisexual and fragrant. The sepals are 3-4 mm long while the petals are 3-6 mm long. They are yellow or cream.
The pod measures 3-6 cm x 1.5-3 cm, inflated, often twisted and 1-10-seeded.
Ecology / Cultivation
Caesalpinia coriaria tolerates a wide range of soil types and climates. It grows in rich clay soils and poor sandy soils with pH 4.5-8.7, and thrives in dry (warm) temperate climates to wet tropical climates, tolerating an annual precipitation of 600 mm up to over 4000 mm, and a mean annual temperature of 14.7-27.5°C. In natural conditions in Central and South America, it is found in semi-arid, open country. Under very moist tropical conditions, trees are reported to yield less than under drier conditions. At higher altitudes, they do not yield well either.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 3: Dye and tannin-producing plants.
