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The following is adapted from the description of Burkart (1976), the accepted monograph on the genus. P. velutina is a tree up to 15 m high with a short trunk, though it is often a low-growing, much-branched shrub where introduced. Spines are axillary, geminate, 1-2 cm long. All vegetative parts are more or less pubescent. Leaves bipinnate with 1-2 pairs of pinnae, sometimes 3, puberulous, to 6 cm long. Pinnae 2-9 cm long;leaflets oblong, pubescent, ciliolate, 12-30 per pinna, approximate, obtuse, nervate below, coriaceous, 4-13 mm long by 2-4 mm broad (approximately four times as long as broad). Racemes spike-like, 5-15 cm long, florets yellow, short-pedicelled, somewhat pubescent outside, especially on the calyx;petals 2.5 mm long, the tip villous within. The legume is linear, 8-16 cm long, by 6-10 mm broad, flattened, straight or falcate, margins shallowly undulate, the stipe 2-10 mm long, with 10-17 seeds per pod;seeds ovate, 5-7 mm long.

Related invasive species

  • Prosopis velutina

Related Farm Practice

  • Soil
Impact

P. velutina has been widely introduced and planted as a fuel and fodder tree. The seed are spread widely by grazing animals either from established plantations or from single trees around houses or water-holes, and will persist for long periods in the seed bank. P. velutina has shown itself to be a very aggressive invader, especially in arid and semi-arid natural grasslands, both in the native range and where introduced. Invasion in the native range generally involves an increase in plant density rather than an increase in its range. P. velutina is a declared noxious weed in Australia and South Africa where hybrids with P. glandulosa are common, hybrids also occur in other southern African countries. The genus as a whole is regulated in several other countries. In terms of ecology, uses, management and control, P. glandulosa and P. velutina can be effectively treated together, as a species complex.

Has Cabi datasheet ID
44457
Hosts

P. velutina is generally a weed of grasslands, natural or managed, in its native range. It invades similar habitats where introduced. Being a nitrogen-fixing species, like other species of Prosopis, it has a competitive advantage where soil nitrogen levels are low, as in over-grazed grasslands.

Oss tagged
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