Pithecellobium genus of flowering plants in the legume family , Fabaceae . The generic name is derived from the Greek words πιθηκος (pithekos ), meaning "ape" or "monkey," and ελλοβιον (ellobion ), meaning "earring," which refers to the coiled shape of the fruit pods. Plants of the genus are known generally as blackbeads .
There are about 75 species in the genus:
Pithecellobium albicaule Britton & Rose Pithecellobium bahamense Northr. Pithecellobium benthamianum Pithecellobium bertolonii Benth. Pithecellobium bifoliolatum Pithecellobium bijugatum Pithecellobium bipinnatum L.Rico Pithecellobium brevipes Pithecellobium brownii Standl. Pithecellobium caesalpinioides Pithecellobium campechense Pithecellobium candidum Pithecellobium circinale (L.)Benth. Pithecellobium cochliocarpum Pithecellobium concinnum Pittier Pithecellobium confertum Benth. also known as everfreshPithecellobium cordifolium Pithecellobium cynodonticum Barneby & J.W.Grimes Pithecellobium decandrum Pithecellobium discolor Pithecellobium diversifolium Pithecellobium domingense Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. – guamúchil , ebony blackbead, monkeypod (Mexico , Central America , northern South America )Pithecellobium elachistophyllum Pithecellobium elegans Pithecellobium excelsum (Kunth) Mart. Pithecellobium filipes (Vent.)Benth. Pithecellobium flavovirens Pithecellobium furcatum Benth. Pithecellobium glaucescens Pithecellobium guaraniticum Pithecellobium guaricense Pithecellobium guatemalense Pithecellobium gummiferum Pithecellobium halogenes Pithecellobium hansemannii Pithecellobium histrix (A.Rich.) Benth. Pithecellobium hymenaeafolium (Willd.)Benth. Pithecellobium insigne Micheli Pithecellobium jiringa Pithecellobium johansenii Standl. (Belize , Guatemala , Honduras )Pithecellobium keyense Coker – Florida Keys blackbeadPithecellobium laetum Pithecellobium lanceolatum Pithecellobium larensis Pithecellobium lentiscifolium Pithecellobium leucosericeum Pithecellobium longipendulum Pithecellobium macrandrium Pithecellobium maestrense Pithecellobium marthae Pithecellobium mataybifolium Pithecellobium micradenium Pithecellobium microchlamys Pithecellobium mucronatum Pithecellobium nicoyanum Pithecellobium obliquifoliolatum Pithecellobium oblongum Benth. Pithecellobium obovale Pithecellobium pachypus Pittier Pithecellobium peckii S.F.Blake Pithecellobium pistaciifolium Pithecellobium platycarpum Merr. Pithecellobium roseum – buche colorado Pithecellobium salutare Pithecellobium seleri Harms (Guatemala, Honduras)Pithecellobium spinulosum Pithecellobium splendens Pithecellobium steyermarkii Pithecellobium striolatum Pithecellobium tenue Craib Pithecellobium tonduzii Pithecellobium tuerckheimii Pithecellobium unguis-cati (L.)Benth. – catclaw blackbeadPithecellobium velutinum Pithecellobium vietnamense I.C.Nielsen Many species now in the genera Albizia and Abarema Pithecellobium . Other species previously included:
Archidendron bigeminum P. bigeminum , P. gracile, P. nicobaricum) Chloroleucon foliolosum P. foliolosum , P. grisebachianum , P. myriophyllum Malme , P. oligandrum )Pseudosamanea cubana (as P. bacona )Zygia cognata P. cognatum , P. stevensonii )Zygia pithecolobioides P. pithecolobioides , P. reductum )
