Trees or shrubs, 2–10 m. Trunks: 2–3(–4) dm; bark thin flakey. Branches flexuous. Stems puberulent. Leaves: stip­ules modified paired spines, white or gray, 0.2–2 cm, gla­brous; petiole/rachis 0.6–0.8 cm, densely lanate to glabrescent; pinnae 2(–4), rarely with a terminal leaflet; leaflets 10–18, opposite, 4–5 mm apart, blades elliptic-oblong, (4–)7–12 × 2–4 mm, base rounded or oblique, margins ciliolate, slightly 1–3-veined basally, apex rounded, obtuse, truncate, or mucronulate, surfaces tomentulose. Peduncles 1–1.5 cm, lanate. Inflorescences amentlike spikes, 4–6(–8) cm. Flowers: sepals 1 mm, finely tomentose; petals connate 1/2 their lengths, yellow, red-tipped, 2–3 mm, pubescent; stamens bright yellow; filaments 3.5–4 mm, glabrous; anthers 0.7–1 mm; ovary stipitate, 1.5–2 mm, densely white-pilose; style 2 mm, glabrous. Loments yellow-tan to dark brown (purple spotted), cylindric, coiled 2 or 3 times with 8–24 close-set spirals, 2.5–5.5 × 0.5–0.6 cm, puberulous to gla­brescent. Seeds tan, reniform-ovoid, 3–3.5 mm. 2n = 56.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–May (or Jul).
Habitat: Desert riparian wood­land, along creeks, washes, and river bottoms in saline and alkaline soils.
Elevation: 60–1600 m.

Distribution

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Ariz., Calif., Nev., N.Mex., Tex., Utah, Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora).

Discussion

Fruits of Prosopis pubescens are used as fodder for cattle and the wood as a source of fuel. In Texas, P. pubescens is known from the trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.