Caesalpinia coriaria
| Caesalpinia coriaria | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Divi-divi on Aruba | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Caesalpinia |
| Species: | C. coriaria |
| Binomial name | |
|
Caesalpinia coriaria (Jacq.) Willd. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Poinciana coriaria Jacq. |
|
Poinciana coriaria Jacq.
Caesalpinia coriaria is a leguminous tree or large shrub native to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Common names include Divi-divi, Cascalote, Guaracabuya, Guatapana, Nacascol, and Watapana (Aruba).
C. coriaria rarely reaches its maximum height of 9 m (30 ft) because its growth is contorted by the trade winds that batter the exposed coastal sites where it often grows. In other environments it grows into a low dome shape with a clear sub canopy space. Leaves are bipinnate, with 5-10 pairs of pinnae, each pinna with 15-25 pairs of leaflets; the individual leaflets are 7 mm long and 2 mm broad. The fruit is a twisted pod 5 cm (2.0 in) long.
The Divi-divi is one of the more well known species of Caesalpinia; it is the national tree of Curaçao. It is also very common and popular on Aruba.
Tannins are extracted from Divi-divi pods for use in leather production.
Among the molecules isolated is corilagin, whose name comes from the specific epithet of the plant.
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Wikipedia