''Calliandra surinamensis'' is a low branching evergreen

tropical shrub Tropical vegetation is any vegetation in tropical latitudes. Plant life that occurs in climates that are warm year-round is in general more biologically diverse that in other latitudes. Some tropical areas may receive abundant rain the whole ye ...

that is named after

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

, a country in northern South America. The plant usually has complexly branched multiple trunks and grows to a height of about 5 metres, although many sources suggest that it only attains a height of 3 metres. Left unpruned it grows long thin branches that eventually droop down onto the ground. The leaves close and droop from dusk until morning when they once again reopen. ''Calliandra surinamensis'' is said to contain lectins which are toxic to cancer cells, although more research is needed. ''Calliandra surinamensis'' contains three important compounds: myrectin which contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, lupeol which contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, and ferulic acid which contains antimicrobial properties.

Description

Leaves

The leaves are

bipinnate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

. Each pair of leaflets, or pinnae, are in turn divided into about six pairs of leaflets, pinnules.

Flowers

The flowers present as globose heads with small green petals and calyx with up to a 100 stamens more or less united into a tube. The stamens are long, hairlike, colourful and protrude well beyond the petals. ''C. surinamensis'' flowers all year round with definite more prolific periods. The flowers are short lived and sticky and combined with their quantity give this plant a reputation for making a mess especially on vehicles parked under it.

Stamens

The numerous colourful stamens are white towards the base and pink towards the top. It is the stamens & anthers that give the flower the appearance of a pink powder puff.

Fruit

The fruit is a 4 centimetres (1.5 in) long pod´

Ecology

The shrub's year round nectar and pollen attracts wildlife such as lorikeets and fruit bats.

Common names

Pink powder puff, Pompon De Marin, Surinam powderpuff, Surinamese stickpea

Gallery

File:蘇利南合歡 Calliandra surinamensis 20210529152746 01.jpg, Small green petals and calyx. File:蘇利南合歡 Calliandra surinamensis 20210529152746 02.jpg, Petalized stamens. File:蘇利南合歡 Calliandra surinamensis 20210529152746 04.jpg, Inflorescence. File:蘇利南合歡 Calliandra surinamensis 20210529152746 22.jpg, Bipinnate leaves.

References

Procópio, Thamara Figueiredo, et al. “Calliandra Surinamensis Lectin (CasuL) Does Not Impair the Functionality of Mice Splenocytes, Promoting Cell Signaling and Cytokine Production.” Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, vol. 107, Nov. 2018, pp. 650–655. * surinamensis Flora of Southern America Taxa named by George Bentham {{Mimosoideae-stub