Status: Native
Synonyms:
Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) A.P. de Candolle var. torreyana L. Benson
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana is the common mesquite in Southwest New Mexico. The flowers are light yellow
in drooping spikes and develop into long somewhat constricted fruits. The fruits consist of a legume with a thin outer covering (hull or exocarp) with somewhat an amorphous mealy material (called the mesocarp) coating a white to yellow second covering around a brown seed. The leaves are actually compound, with usually 2 pinnae each having up to 30 leaflets. At the junction of the pinnae can be found a small extra floral nectary or gland.
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana grows at lower to middle elevations in most any habitat.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Bill Evans Lake, May 23, 2007
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, in fruit, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Road, Aug. 15, 2007
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, with maturing fruit, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, Dec. 12, 2008
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, after opening outer covering (exocarp) of legume and exposing mealy interior (mesocarp) and second covering (endocarp) over brown seed, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, Dec. 31, 2008
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, after opening inner covering and exposing brown seed, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, Dec. 31, 2008
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, closeup of flowers, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, May 16, 2009
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, closeup of stipular spines on winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, December 28, 2009
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, December 28, 2009
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, macro of winter twig, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, December 28, 2009
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, macro of extra floral nectary (gland) at junction of two leaflets, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Burro Mtns., WD Ranch Road, April 20, 2010
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