Prosopis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Caesalpinioideae
Tribus: Mimoseae
Genus: Prosopis

P. cineraria – P. farcta – P. koelziana

Note: All other species should be moved to Anonychium, Neltuma e Strombocarpa - see: Hughes et al. 2022

Species: P. affinis - P. africana - P. alba – P. alpataco – P. argentina – P. articulata – P. burkartii – P. caldenia – P. calingastana – P. campestris – P. castellanosii – P. chilensis – P. cineraria – P. denudans – P. elata – P. farcta – P. ferox – P. fiebrigii – P. flexuosa – P. glandulosa – P. hassleri – P. humilis – P. juliflora – P. kuntzei – P. laevigata – P. nigra – P. pallida – P. palmeri – P. pubescens – P. reptans – P. rojasiana – P. ruizlealii – P. ruscifolia – P. sericantha – P. strombulifera – P. tamarugo – P. torquata – P. velutina

Name

Prosopis L.
Typus

Prosopis spicigera L., = Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce

References

Hughes C.E., Ringelberg J., Lewis G.P., Catalano S. 2022. Disintegration of the genus Prosopis L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade). PhytoKeys, 205: 147-189. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.205.75379.

Vernacular names

Prosopis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The current circumscription of the genus contains three species found in northern Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia.[4] Previously it also contained around 40 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas and Africa, now mostly placed in genera Strombocarpa and Neltuma. They often thrive in arid soil and are resistant to drought, on occasion developing extremely deep root systems. Their wood is usually hard, dense and durable. Their fruits are pods and may contain large amounts of sugar. The generic name means "burdock" in late Latin and originated in the Greek language.[5]
Species

The current circumscription of the genus contains three species, which are found in South Asia, the Middle East and northern Africa.[6][7]

Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce – Persian mesquite, ghaf, khejri (Arabian Peninsula, Iran and South Asia)[8]
Prosopis farcta (Banks & Sol.) J.F.Macbr. – Syrian mesquite (northern Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia)[9]
Prosopis koelziana Burkart (Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and Iran)[10]

Traditionally the genus included many more species with a cosmopolitan distribution. A taxonomic monograph in 1976 by Arturo Erhardo Burkart recognised 44 species and subdivided the genus into five sections: section Anonychium in Africa, section Prosopis in Asia, and sections Algarobia, Monilicarpa and Strombocarpa in the New World.[11][12] Twelve additional species in section Algarobia have since been recognised. A genomic analysis published in 2022 concluded that Prospopsis was polyphyletic and that species traditionally grouped under the genus Prosopis belonged to four genera that broadly aligned with the Burkart's sections: Anonychium, Neltuma (for sections Algarobia and Monilicarpa), Prosopis, and Strombocarpa.[12]

The following phylogenetic tree shows the relationship of these genera (bold) with other closely related mimosoid genera.[12]

Anonychium (Africa; formerly Prosopis sect. Anonychium)

Plathymenia

Fillaeopsis

Newtonia

Cylicodiscus

Indopiptadenia (an Indo-Nepalese monospecific genus)

Prosopis sensu stricto (formerly Prosopis sect. Prosopis)

Neltuma (New World, former Prosopis sects. Algarobia + Monilicarpa)

Strombocarpa (New World, formerly Prosopis sect. Stromocarpa)

Xerocladia (Namibian / Namaqualand monospecific endemic genus)

remaining core mimosoids (many genera)
Selected former species

African species now placed in Anonychium

Former Prosopis sect. Anonychium
Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub. – African mesquite or gele (in Malinke, traditional djembe wood)

New World species now placed in Strombocarpa

Former Prosopis sect. Strombocarpa
Prosopis abbreviata Benth. – algarrobillo espinoso
Prosopis pubescens Benth. – screwbean mesquite
Prosopis reptans Benth. – tornillo
Prosopis strombulifera (Lam.) Benth. – creeping mesquite, Argentine screwbean
Prosopis tamarugo Phil. – tamarugo

New World species now placed in Neltuma

Former section Monilicarpa
Prosopis argentina Burkart
Former section Algarobia
Prosopis affinis Spreng. – nandubay, algarrobillo, espinillo, Ibopé-morotí
Prosopis alba Griseb. – algarrobo blanco; ibopé or igopé (Guaraní)
Prosopis caldenia Burkart – caldén
Prosopis chilensis (Molina) Stuntz – algarrobo Chileno, algarrobo blanco
Prosopis fiebrigii Harms
Prosopis flexuosa DC. – alpataco, algarrobo negro
Prosopis glandulosa Torr. – honey mesquite
Prosopis hassleri Harms
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.
Prosopis kuntzei Harms ex Kuntze – itín, barba de tigre, carandá, palo mataco
Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) M.C.Johnst. – smooth mesquite
Prosopis nigra (Griseb.) Hieron. – algarrobo negro, algarrobo amarillo, algarrobo dulce, algarrobo morado
Prosopis pallida (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Kunth – American carob, huarango, kiawe (Hawaiian)
Prosopis rojasiana Burkart
Prosopis ruscifolia Griseb. – vinal
Prosopis velutina Wooton – velvet mesquite

Other species formerly placed in Prosopis

Acacia atramentaria Benth. (as P. astringens Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.)
Entada elephantina (Burch.) S.A.O’Donnell & G.P.Lewis (as P. elephantina (Burch.) E.Mey. or P. elephantorrhiza Spreng.)
Prosopidastrum globosum (Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.) Burkart (as P. globosa Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.)

References
Notes

"Prosopis L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1999-03-05. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
"Prosopis L." TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
Prosopis L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
"Prosopis L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. Vol. 4 M-Q. CRC Press. p. 2171. ISBN 978-0-8493-2677-6.
"Prosopis L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
"Prosopis L." World Flora Online. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
"Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
"Prosopis farcta (Banks & Sol.) J.F.Macbr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
"Prosopis koelziana Burkart". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
Burkart, Arturo Erhardo (1976). "A Monograph of the Genus Prosopis (Leguminosae Subfam. Mimosoideae)". Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 57 (3): 219–249.

Hughes, Colin E.; Ringelberg, Jens; Lewis, G. P.; Catalano, Santiago (August 2022). "Disintegration of the genus Prosopis L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade)". PhytoKeys (205). Pensoft Publishers: 147–189. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.205.75379. PMC 9849005. PMID 36762004.

General references

Paciecznik, N. M., Harris P. J. C., & S. J. Smith. 2003. Identifying Tropical Prosopis Species: A Field Guide. HDRA, Coventry, UK. ISBN 0-905343-34-4.
Handbook on taxonomy of Prosopis in Mexico, Peru and Chile (FAO Document Repository)
Plant Walk I: Old Main (website of the Vascular Plant Herbarium of the University of Arizona in Tucson)
Plant Walk 1 UofA
Plant Walk 2 UofA