Snowflake Wattle

Overview

Originated in Central America, and most precisely in Mexico, Panama, and the West Indies. The leaves of this plant are usually used by humans as animal feed. In addition, the flowers are a source of bee nectar. This white calliandra also turns out to have benefits in traditional medicine.

Vernacular Names

No found data on this. Need further research.

Agroecology

It grows on a wide variety of soil types from deep volcanic soils to alluvial to eroded sandy loam soils. Grows in areas with an annual minimum temperature of 18-22 °C and is not resistant to freezing. Thrives in a wide variety of soil types and appears to tolerate slightly acidic soils with a pH of around 4.5, but does not tolerate poorly drained and regularly flooded soils.

Morphology

• Stems - woody, erect or ascending, branches curved, spreading or stooped, firm, old branches glabrous or slightly hairy, young branches rarely to densely hairy.
• Leaves - compound, leaf blade 10-30 pairs, linear or linear-oval, straight or slightly curved, 8-16 mm long, 2.5 mm wide or less, slightly veined, blunt, thin.
• Flowers - slender stalks clustered or solitary, 3-10 cm long, petals 2 mm long, crown 3-4 mm long, white stamens, 1.5-2 cm long.
• Fruits - pods 4-10 cm long, 6-9 mm wide, hairless when mature, obtuse, narrowing towards the base, contains 3-10 seeds.
• Seeds - with elliptical lines or depressions, pleurogram, ovate to rounded, seed surface smooth, brown, or black.

Cultivation

Propagated by seeds - seeds are dispersed in nature with the help of animals and humans when taking leaves as animal feed. For cultivation, seeds can be planted directly in nature or sown first. Seeds or seedlings should be done at the beginning of the rainy season.

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, and anthraquinones.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

Has antibacterial and antifungal activity.