Pithecellobium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It includes approximately 23 species from the tropical Americas, ranging from Mexico to Peru and northern Brazil, including the Caribbean Islands and Florida.
The generic name is derived from the Greek words πίθηκος (pithêkos), meaning "ape" or "monkey," and ἐλλόβιον (ellobion), meaning "earring," which refers to the coiled shape of the fruit pods. Plants of the genus are known generally as blackbeads.
Species
Pithecellobium dulce
23 species are currently accepted:
Pithecellobium × bahamense Northr. – Bahamas, southern Florida, and northern Cuba
Pithecellobium bipinnatum L.Rico – Costa Rica
Pithecellobium circinale (L.) Benth. – Cuba and Hispaniola
Pithecellobium cynodonticum Barneby & J.W.Grimes – Haiti
Pithecellobium diversifolium Benth. – northeastern Brazil
Pithecellobium domingense Alain – Dominican Republic
Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. – guamúchil, ebony blackbead, monkeypod – Mexico, Central America, northern South America
Pithecellobium excelsum (Kunth) Mart. – Ecuador and Peru
Pithecellobium furcatum Benth. – southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa Rica
Pithecellobium histrix (A.Rich.) Benth. – Bahamas, Cuba, and Dominican Republic
Pithecellobium hymenaeafolium (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Benth. – southern Mexico to Venezuela
Pithecellobium johansenii Standl. – Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras
Pithecellobium keyense Coker – Florida Keys blackbead – southern Florida, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cuba, southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize
Pithecellobium lanceolatum (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Benth. – Mexico through Central America and Colombia to Venezuela
Pithecellobium macrandrium Donn.Sm. – southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize
Pithecellobium nicoyanum (Britton & Rose) Niezgoda & Nevling – Costa Rica
Pithecellobium oblongum Benth. – southern Mexico and northern Colombia
Pithecellobium...