Pithecellobium
Pithecellobium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It includes approximately 23 species from the tropical Americas, ranging from Mexico to Peru and northern Brazil, including the Caribbean Islands and Florida.
The generic name is derived from the Greek words πίθηκος, meaning "ape" or "monkey," and ἐλλόβιον, meaning "earring," which refers to the coiled shape of the fruit pods. Plants of the genus are known generally as blackbeads.
Species
23 species are currently accepted:Pithecellobium × bahamense Northr. – Bahamas, southern Florida, and northern CubaPithecellobium bipinnatum L.Rico – Costa RicaPithecellobium circinale Benth. – Cuba and HispaniolaPithecellobium cynodonticum Barneby & J.W.Grimes – HaitiPithecellobium diversifolium – northeastern BrazilPithecellobium domingense – Dominican RepublicPithecellobium dulce Benth. - guamúchil, ebony blackbead, monkeypod – Mexico, Central America, northern South AmericaPithecellobium excelsum Mart. – Ecuador and PeruPithecellobium furcatum Benth. – southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa RicaPithecellobium histrix Benth. – Bahamas, Cuba, and Dominican RepublicPithecellobium hymenaeafolium Benth. – southern Mexico to VenezuelaPithecellobium johansenii Standl. – Belize, Guatemala, and HondurasPithecellobium keyense Coker - Florida Keys blackbead – southern Florida, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cuba, southern Mexico, Guatemala, and BelizePithecellobium lanceolatum – Mexico through Central America and Colombia to VenezuelaPithecellobium macrandrium – southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, and BelizePithecellobium nicoyanum – Costa RicaPithecellobium oblongum Benth. – southern Mexico and northern ColombiaPithecellobium peckii S.F.Blake – Guatemala and BelizePithecellobium roseum - buche colorado – Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and northern and west-central BrazilPithecellobium striolatum – HaitiPithecellobium subglobosum – northeastern Colombia and northwestern VenezuelaPithecellobium unguis-cati Benth. - catclaw blackbead – Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, and southern FloridaPithecellobium velutinum – western Mexico Pithecellobium winzerlingii – southern Mexico, Belize, and Honduras
Formerly placed here
Many species now in the genera Albizia, Abarema, Jupunba, and Punjuba were formerly classified in Pithecellobium. Other species previously included:Abarema cochliocarpos Archidendron bigeminum Chloroleucon foliolosum Pseudalbizzia decandra Pseudosamanea cubana Zygia cognata