Jacaranda Ulei

''Jacaranda'' is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas while cultivated around the world. The generic name is also used as the common name.

The species ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' has achieved a cosmopolitan distribution due to introductions, to the extent that it has entered popular culture. It can be found growing wild in Central America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal, southern and northern Africa, China, Australia, Rwanda and Cyprus.

Etymology

The name is of South American (more specifically Tupi–Guarani) origin either meaning fragrant, ''y-acã-ratã'' meaning "heartwood" or ''ya'kãg rã'ta'' "hard-headed". 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 shrubs to large trees ranging in size from tall. The leaves are bipinnate in most species, pinnate or simple in a few species. The flowers are produced in conspicuous large panicles, each flower with a five-lobed blue to purple-blue corolla; 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 that is longer than the stamens, tricolpate pollen, and a chromosome number of 18.

Taxonomy

The genus is divided into two sections, sect. ''Monolobos'' and sect. ''Dilobos'' DC., based on the number of thecae on the anthers. Sect. ''Monolobos'' has 18 species and is found primarily in western South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Sect. ''Dilobos'', which is believed to be the primitive form, has 31 species and is found primarily in southeastern Brazil including the Paraná River 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).

Species

Sect. ''Monolobos''

* '' Jacaranda acutifolia'' Bonpl.
* '' Jacaranda arborea'' Urb.
* '' Jacaranda brasiliana'' (Lam.) Pers.
* '' Jacaranda caerulea'' (L.) J.St.-Hil.
* '' Jacaranda caucana'' Pittier
* '' Jacaranda copaia'' (Aubl.) D.Don
* '' Jacaranda cowellii'' Britton & P.Wilson
* '' Jacaranda cuspidifolia'' Mart. ex DC.
* '' Jacaranda decurrens'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda ekmanii'' Alain
* '' Jacaranda hesperia'' Dugand.
* ''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' D.Don
* ''Jacaranda obtusifolia'' Humboldt & Bonpl.
* '' Jacaranda orinocensis'' Sandw.
* '' Jacaranda poitaei'' Urb.
* '' Jacaranda praetermissa'' Sandw.
* '' Jacaranda selleana'' Urb.
* '' Jacaranda sparrei'' A.H.Gentry

Sect. ''Dilobos''

* '' Jacaranda bracteata'' Bur. & K.Schum.
* '' Jacaranda bullata'' A.H.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda campinae'' A.Gentry & Morawetz
* '' Jacaranda carajasensis'' A.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda caroba'' (Vell.) DC.
* ''Jacaranda crassifolia'' Morawetz
* '' Jacaranda duckei'' Vattimo
* '' Jacaranda egleri'' Sandwith
* '' Jacaranda glabra'' (DC.) Bur. & K.Schum.
* '' Jacaranda grandifoliolata'' A.H.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda heterophylla'' M.M.Silva-Castro
* '' Jacaranda intricata'' A.Gentry & Morawetz
* '' Jacaranda irwinii'' A.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda jasminoides'' (Thunb.) Sandw.
* '' Jacaranda macrantha'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda macrocarpa'' Bur. & K.Schum.
* '' Jacaranda micrantha'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda montana'' Morawetz
* '' Jacaranda morii'' A.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda mutabilis'' Hassl.
* '' Jacaranda obovata'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda oxyphylla'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda paucifoliata'' Mart. ex DC.
* '' Jacaranda puberula'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda racemosa'' Cham.
* '' Jacaranda rufa'' Manso
* ''Jacaranda rugosa'' A.H.Gentry
* '' Jacaranda simplicifolia'' K.Schum.
* ''Jacaranda subalpina'' Morawetz
* '' Jacaranda ulei'' 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''; syn. ''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
File:Avenida Figueroa Alcorta - floración de jacarandá.jpg, Jacaranda trees in bloom in Buenos Aires, Argentina

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
(PDF file). ''IAWA Journal'' 18: 369–383. .

Goodna Jacaranda Festival at Evan Marginson Park, Goodna

Agroforestry Tree Database

Jacaranda Festival, Grafton

{{Taxonbar, from=Q311105

Bignoniaceae genera
Flora of Brazil
Flora of Mexico
Medicinal plants
Trees of Argentina
Trees of Australia
Trees of Brazil
Trees of Northern America