Caesalpinia spinosa

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Caesalpinia spinosa
• spiny holdback

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Caesalpinia horrida
• Caesalpinia spinosa
• Tara tinctoria var. horrida
• Caesalpinia pectinata
• Caesalpinia tara
• Coulteria chilensis
• Coulteria tinctoria
• Caesalpinia tinctoria var. horrida
• Coulteria horrida
• Caesalpinia tinctoria
• Caesalpinia mucronata
• Poinciana tara
• Poinciana spinosa
• Poinciana mucronata
• Tara tinctoria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Specifically, it is identified by its genus name, Tara.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is specifically noted in Spain. Its range also extends to Macaronesia, where it can be found within the Canary Islands. Furthermore, it inhabits Northeast Tropical Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Finally, its distribution continues through East Tropical Africa, encompassing both Kenya and Uganda.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tara spinosa is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution that allows it to inhabit diverse topographical landscapes. The species exhibits significant environmental plasticity, occurring at elevations ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum height of 3000 m AMSL. On average, the plant is most frequently documented at a mean elevation of 1650 m AMSL, suggesting a preference for mid-altitude ecological zones where specific temperature and moisture regimes are met. This wide vertical range indicates an ability to adapt to varying atmospheric pressures and thermal gradients across its natural habitat.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1650 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Tara spinosa is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its ecological niche. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and provides photosynthetic capability year-round rather than shedding leaves seasonally. This combination of a long-term perennial lifecycle and constant foliage retention enables the species to maintain continuous physiological activity and resilience across varying environmental conditions.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tara spinosa is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting structure. It is a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor epiphytic, and grows independently as a non-parasitic species. The plant reaches a significant stature, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 2 meters to a maximum of 5 meters, though it can reach a mean height of approximately 6 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

6 m

Plant height min:

2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tara spinosa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in varying light conditions. The plant's foliage exhibits an alternate leaf arrangement, with individual leaf forms being distinctly elliptic. These leaves vary in size, ranging from a minimum length of 1.5 cm to a maximum length of 8 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen availability rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf arrangement :

alternate

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tara spinosa is characterized by a seasonal flowering period that typically begins in June and concludes in September. During this time, the plant produces orange-colored flowers that range in length from 0.6 cm to 0.7 cm. These flowers are arranged in inflorescences with a relatively small scale, measuring between 0.015 m and 0.02 m in length. Following pollination, the plant develops red-colored fruits classified as pods. These pods exhibit significant dimensions, with lengths ranging from 6 cm to a maximum of 12 cm and widths reaching up to 2.5 cm. The fruit is dehiscent, meaning it opens at maturity to release its seeds. The seeds produced within the pod have a mean mass of approximately 0.232668 g, with individual seed weights varying between a minimum of 0.2198 g and a maximum of 0.25575 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Flower colour :

orange

Flower length max:

0.7 cm

Flower length min:

0.6 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit colour :

red

Fruit length max:

12 cm

Fruit length min:

6 cm

Fruit type :

pod

Fruit width max:

2.5 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.02 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.015 m

Seed mass max:

0.25575 g

Seed mass mean:

0.232668 g

Seed mass min:

0.2198 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Tara spinosa has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ETHYL GALLATE.

ETHYL GALLATE

1. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy

Preparations

Tara spinosa has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include SLS.

Sls

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)