''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species '' Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achieved a
cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...
due to introductions, to the extent that it has entered popular culture. It can be found growing wild in Central America, the Caribbean, Spain, southern Africa, China, and Australia.
Etymology
The name is of South American (more specifically Tupi-Guarani) origin, meaning fragrant. The word ''jacaranda'' was described in ''A supplement to Mr. Chambers's Cyclopædia'', 1st ed., (1753) as "a name given by some authors to the tree the wood of which is the log-wood, used in dyeing and medicine" and as being of Tupi-Guarani origin, by way of Portuguese. Although not consistent with the Guarani source, one common pronunciation of the name in English is given by .
Description
The species are
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are bipinnate in most species, pinnate or simple in a few species. The flowers are produced in conspicuous large
panicle
A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...
s, each flower with a five-lobed blue to purple-blue
corolla
Corolla may refer to:
*Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit
*Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name
* Corolla (headgear), an ancient headdress in the form of a circlet or crown
* ''Corolla'' (gastropod), a genus of moll ...
; a few species have white flowers. The fruit is an oblong to oval flattened capsule containing numerous slender seeds. The genus differs from other genera in the Bignoniaceae in having a
staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co. ...
that is longer than the
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s, tricolpate
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...
The genus is divided into two sections, sect. ''Monolobos'' and sect. ''Dilobos'' DC., based on the number of thecae on the
anther
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
. Sect. ''Dilobos'', which is believed to be the primitive form, has 31 species and is found primarily in southeastern Brazil including the
Paraná River
The Paraná River ( es, Río Paraná, links=no , pt, Rio Paraná, gn, Ysyry Parana) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Br ...
valley. The anatomy of the wood in the two sections also differs. Although usually treated in sect. ''Monolobos'', ''J. copaia'' differs somewhat from all other members of the genus and may be intermediate between the two sections (Dos Santos & Miller 1997).
Jacaranda arborea
''Jacaranda arborea'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae. It is endemic to Cuba. It is threatened by habitat loss.
References
Trees of Cuba
arborea
Arborea is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Oristano, Sar ...
'' Urb.
* ''
Jacaranda brasiliana
''Jacaranda brasiliana'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to Brazil, including in the Cerrado
The ''Cerrado'' (, ) is a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil, particularly in the states o ...
Jacaranda copaia
''Jacaranda copaia'' is a flowering pioneer tree belonging to the genus ''Jacaranda''. It is native to the Amazon Rainforest in Northern of South America.
Description
The tree is evergreen or semi-deciduous and produces bluish purple flowers fr ...
'' (Aubl.) D.Don
* ''
Jacaranda cowellii
''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achi ...
Jacaranda decurrens
''Jacaranda decurrens'' is a medicinal plant native to Cerrado vegetation. In Portuguese the species goes by the common name ''Colomba'' and ''pará parai mi''.
The plant is used for gynecological infections and other conditions.
The species i ...
Jacaranda obtusifolia
''Jacaranda obtusifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae.
References
Jacaranda, obtusifolia
{{Bignoniaceae-stub ...
'' Humboldt & Bonpl.
* ''
Jacaranda orinocensis
''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achi ...
Jacaranda bracteata
''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achi ...
Jacaranda caroba
''Jacaranda caroba'', the Brazilian caroba-tree, is a medicinal plant native to Cerrado vegetation in Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America ...
Jacaranda jasminoides
''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achi ...
Jacaranda rugosa
''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The generic name is also used as the common name.
The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achie ...
Jacaranda subalpina
''Jacaranda subalpina'' is a species of flowering tree native to Brazil.
Description
''Jacaranda subalpina'' grows to between to tall. The leaves are 25 to 45 cm in length and bipinnate
The following is a list of terms which are used t ...
'' Morawetz
* ''
Jacaranda ulei
''Jacaranda ulei'' is a flowering tree native to the Cerrado region of Brazil. It was first described by Édouard Bureau and Karl Moritz Schumann in 1897.
Description
''Jacaranda ulei'' is a small tree, growing to between and tall. The leaves ...
'' Bur. & K.Schum.
Cultivation
Jacaranda can be propagated from grafting, cuttings, and seeds, though plants grown from seeds take a long time to bloom. Jacaranda grows in well-drained soil and tolerates drought and brief spells of frost and freeze.
This genus thrives in full sun and sandy soils, which explains their abundance in warmer climates. Mature plants can survive in colder climates down to ; however, they may not bloom as profusely. Younger plants are more fragile and may not survive in colder climates when temperatures drop below freezing.
Uses
Several species are widely grown as ornamental plants throughout the subtropical regions of the world, valued for their intense flower displays. The most often seen is the
blue jacaranda
''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' is a sub-tropical tree native to south-central South America that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its attractive and long-lasting violet-colored flowers. It is also known as the jacaranda, blue jacaranda, ...
(''Jacaranda mimosifolia'';
syn.
The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently.
* In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...
''J. acutifolia'' hort. non Bonpl.). Other members of the genus are also commercially important; for example the Copaia (''Jacaranda copaia'') is important for its timber because of its exceptionally long bole.
Gallery
File:Jacaranda ulei flower.jpg, Flowers of ''Jacaranda ulei''
File:Jacaranda seeds.jpg, Jacaranda seeds
File:Jacaranda255.jpg, '' Jacaranda mimosifolia'' trees in full bloom in Islamabad, Pakistan
File:JacarandaTreeIndia.jpg, Jacaranda tree blooming in India
References
External links
* Dos Santos, G., & Miller, R. B. (1997). Wood anatomy of ''Jacaranda'' (Bignoniaceae): Systematic relationships in sections ''Monolobos'' and ''Dilobos'' as suggested by twig and stem rays. ''IAWA Journal'' 18: 369–383. Availabl online (pdf file).
Goodna Jacaranda Festival at Evan Marginson Park, Goodna