Caesalpinia

Caesalpinia is the name of a genus of controversial size (different publications including between 70 and 165 species, mostly depending on inclusion or exclusion of various genera such as Hoffmanseggia), consisting of tropical and subtropical woody plants. It is named after the botanist Andrea Cesalpino.

The name Caesalpiniaceae at family level, or Caesalpinioideae at the level of subfamily, is based on this generic name.

Some species are grown for their ornamental flowers, and Caesalpinia echinata, Brazilwood, is the source of a historically important dye called brazilin and of the wood for violin bows.


Species
Caesalpinia gilliesii is a shrub in the legume family. It is commonly known as bird of paradise, but it is not related to the bird of paradise genus Strelitzia. It grows to 3-4 m tall. The leaves are bipinnate, 10-15 cm long, bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 5-6 mm long and 2-4 mm broad. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow petals with 10 long conspicuous red stamens. It is a striking ornamental plant native to tropical America, mainly Argentina and Uruguay. It is naturalised in Texas, and fairly common in the rest of the southwestern United States, where it is known as bird of paradise bush, desert bird of paradise, yellow bird of paradise, and barba de chivo.
USES: Medicine men of peoples indigenous to the Amazon Rainforest used this plant and the similar Caesalpinia pulcherrima, which they called ayoowiri, for curing fever, sores, and cough. Four grams from the root is also said to induce abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy.[1] However, it must be noted that the seeds and the green seed pods of this plant are toxic, provoking severe vomiting and other abdominal symptoms.

Caesalpinia coriaria - The Divi-divi (Caesalpinia coriaria) is a leguminous tree or large shrub native to Aruba, the Antilles, southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It grows to 9 m tall, often much less and very contorted in exposed coastal sites. 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 long. The Divi-divi is one of the more well known species of Caesalpinia; it is a symbol of Curaçao and is very popular in Aruba where it is called "watapana". On the islands this tree is never straight because of the trade winds.

Caesalpinia echinata (Brazilwood) - Brazilwood or Pau-Brasil, sometimes known as Pernambuco is a Brazilian timber tree. This plant has a dense, orange-red wood (which takes a high shine), and it is the premier wood used for making bows for string instruments from the violin family. The wood also yields a red dye called brazilin, which oxidizes to brazilein.

Caesalpinia decapetala commonly known as the Mauritius or Mysore thorn or the cat's claw is a tropical tree species originating in India.
It is as a robust, thorny, evergreen shrub 2-4 m high or climber up to 10 m or higher; often forming dense thickets; the stems are covered with minute golden-hair; the stem thorns are straight to hooked, numerous, and not in regular rows or confined to nodes. The leaves are dark green, paler beneath, not glossy, up to 300 mm long; leaflets up to 8 mm wide. The flowers are pale yellow, in elongated, erect clusters 100-400 mm long. Fruits are brown, woody pods, flattened, unsegmented, smooth, sharply beaked at apex, ± 80 mm long.
The medium-sized seeds may be dispersed by rodents and granivorous birds and running water. Trailing branches root where they touch the ground.
It has been introduced to Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawai‘i, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues, and South Africa. Is has become a problematic invasive species in many locations.

Caesalpinia sappan - Sappanwood or Sapanwood is a sort of redwood found in tropical Southeast Asia and the Malay archipelago. It was first called "brezel wood" in Europe.
This plant has many uses. It possesses medicinal abilities as an anti-bacterial and for its anti-coagulant properties. It also produces a valued type of reddish dye called brazilin, used for dyeing fabric as well as making red paints and inks. The wood is somewhat lighter in color than Brazil wood and its other allies, but the same tinctorial principle appears to be common to all.
Sappanwood used to be one of the main sources of trade during the 17th century between Japan and its Southeast Asia neighbors (especially Siam) onboard Red Seal Ships.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - ommon names for this species include Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Red Bird of Paradise, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, and flamboyan-de-jardin. It is a shrub growing to 3 m tall, native to tropical America. The leaves are bipinnate, 20-40 cm long, bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 15-25 mm long and 10-15 mm broad. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow, orange or red petals. The fruit is a pod 6-12 cm long.
It is a striking ornamental plant, widely grown in tropical gardens. It is also the national flower of the Caribbean island of Barbados, and is depicted on the Queen's personal Barbadian flag.
In India it is found in the tropical rain forests. With a beautiful inflorescence in yellow, red and orange, it is called "Ratnagundhi" colloquially.
Uses: Medicine men in the Amazon Rainforest have long known some of the medicinal uses for Caesalpinia pulcherrima, which is known as ayoowiri. The juice from the leaves is said to cure fever, the juice from the flower cures sores, and the seeds cure bad cough, breathing difficulty, and chest pain. Four grams from the root is also said to induce abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze, commonly known as tara, is a small leguminous tree or thorny shrub native to Peru. C. spinosa is cultivated as a source of tannins and also grown as an ornamental plant because of its large colorful flowers and pods.

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