Prosopis glandulosa

Botanical Description

Prosopis glandulosa is a spiny, deciduous shrub or a tree with a broad crown of arched branches; it usually grows from 3 - 9 metres tall[ 491 Title Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol. 57 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Harvard University Year 1976 ISBN Description A botanical magazine, this issue has a comprehensive treatment of the genus Prosopis as well as several other articles. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The bole is usually up to 100cm in diameter, occasionally larger[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. A multipurpose tree, it was traditionally a very important part of the desert economy for natïve peoples, being used to provide food, medicines wood, fuel and other materials. It also possibly has a major role to play in future world food production - the pods could prove useful for the production of flour, wine, tempe, and tofu products and it has been proposed that the pods of this dryland-adapted tree will one day become as important as corn, rice, and wheat to the world food system[ 414 Title Forest, Farm, and Community Tree Network Publication Author Website http://www.winrock.org/fnrm/factnet/factnet.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A series of in-depth factsheets on a wide range of plants, especially leguminous trees. ]. Charcoal made from the wood is traded commercially throughout the USA[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The tree is grown as an ornamental in drier regions where it can provide shade[ 257 Title Native American Ethnobotany Publication Author Moerman. D. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9 Description Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ] Prosopis glandulosa has been widely introduced and planted as a fuel and fodder tree. Seed are spread widely by grazing animals from established plantations or single trees around houses or water-holes, and will persist for long periods in the seed bank. It has shown itself to be a very aggressive invader, especially in sub-tropical arid and semi-arid natural grasslands, both in its native range and where introduced. It is a nitrogen-fixing species and very drought and salt tolerant, rapidly out-competing other vegetation. Thorniness and a bushy habit enable it to quickly block paths and make whole areas impenetrable. Invasion in the native range generally involves an increase in plant density rather than an increase in its range. It is a declared noxious weed in Australia and South Africa, and the genus as a whole is regulated in several other countries[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].