Neltuma pallida

{{Short description|Species of legume}} {{Speciesbox |image = Starr 050924-4469 Prosopis pallida.jpg |taxon = Neltuma pallida |authority = (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) C.E.Hughes & G.P.Lewis |synonyms = * ''Acacia pallida'' Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. * '' Mitostax pallida'' (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Raf. * ''Prosopis pallida'' (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Kunth |synonyms_ref = <ref name=powo>{{cite taxon|POWO|id=urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77303755-1|title=''Neltuma pallida'' (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) C.E.Hughes & G.P.Lewis |access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref> }}

'''''Neltuma pallida''''' (formerly ''Prosopis pallida'') is a species of mesquite tree.<ref name=powo/> It has the common names '''kiawe''' ({{IPAc-en|k|iː|ˈ|ɑː|v|eɪ}})<ref name=nelson>{{cite journal |last1=Nelson-Kaula |first1=Kehauwealani |last2=Ostertag |first2=Rebecca |last3=Flint Hughes |first3=R |last4=Dudley |first4=Bruce D |date=Jul 2016 |title=Nutrient and Organic Matter Inputs to Hawaiian Anchialine Ponds: Influences of N-Fixing and Non-N-Fixing Trees |journal=Pacific Science |volume=70 |issue=3 |pages=333–347 |doi=10.2984/70.3.5 |s2cid=89149453 |url=http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~wiegner/pdf/Final%20County%20Report%202006.pdf |archive-date=2022-12-19 |access-date=2019-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219094431/http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~wiegner/pdf/Final%20County%20Report%202006.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> (in Hawaii), '''huarango''' (in its native South America) and '''American carob''', as well as "bayahonda" (a generic term for ''Prosopis''), "algarrobo pálido" (in some parts of Ecuador and Peru), and "algarrobo blanco" (usually used for ''Prosopis alba''). It is a thorny legume, native to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru,<ref name=nelson /> particularly drier areas near the coast. While threatened in its native habitat, it is considered an invasive species<ref name=nelson /> in many other places.

==Description== The kiawe is a spreading bush or moderately sized tree, bearing spines, spikes of greenish-yellow flowers, and long pods filled with small brown seeds. It is a successful invasive species due to its ability to reproduce in two ways: production of large numbers of easily dispersed seeds, and suckering to create thick monotypic stands that shade out nearby competing plants. It survives well in dry environments due to a long taproot which can reach deep watertables. It is so efficient at extracting moisture from soil that it can kill nearby plants by depriving them of water, as well as by shading them out. It can be found in areas where other plants do not grow, such as sandy, dry, degraded slopes, salty soils, disturbed areas, and rocky cliffs. ==Human uses== The tree grows quickly and can live for over a millennium. It makes a good shade tree, if one does not mind the nasty thorns of the fallen branches. Its hard wood is a source of long-burning firewood<ref name=nelson /> and charcoal.<ref name="nyt"/> Kiawe pods can be used as livestock fodder,<ref name=nelson /> ground into flour, turned into molasses or used to make beer.<ref name=nyt/> The light yellow flowers attract bees, which produce from them a sought-after white honey.<ref>Slow Food Foundation Ark of Taste. ''http://www.slowfoodfoundation.com/ark/details/1042/kiawe-honey-from-the-kiawe-tree Kiawe Honey''. Retrieved 5 October 2013.</ref> ==Hazards to humans== Fallen Kiawe branches usually contain sharp spines that can puncture both feet and tires.

==Status as an invasive species in Hawaii== At times the tree was used to replace forest and prevent erosion, and once it was established it generally dominates the habitat. It was introduced to Puerto Rico and Hawaii as well as New South Wales and Queensland in Australia and is now naturalized in those places. The first kiawe was planted in Hawaii in 1828;<ref name=nelson /> today it is a ubiquitous shade tree and invasive weed on the Hawaiian Islands, but provides firewood for heating and cooking.<ref>{{cite book|last=Marchese|first=C. Marina|title=The Honey Connoisseur: Selecting, Tasting, and Pairing Honey, With a Guide to More Than 30 Varietals|year=2013|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|location=New York|isbn=978-1-57912-929-3|pages=110–111}}</ref>

==Collapse of the Nazca culture== The clearing of kiawe (''huarango'') has been suggested as a major reason for the collapse of the Nazca culture in southern Peru at the beginning of the 6th century AD after an El Niño event led to flooding, erosion and desertification.<ref>{{cite news | title = Logging 'caused Nazca collapse' | first = Jody | last = Bourton | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8334000/8334257.stm | agency = BBC News | date = November 2, 2009 | access-date = 2009-11-02 }}</ref>

==Importance in the desert ecosystem== Ecologists consider the huarango important to the ecosystem of the desert area west of the Andes in southern Peru, because of its ability to bind moisture and counter erosion. Despite prohibitions by regional authorities, poor villagers continue to harvest the trees to make charcoal. Efforts are under way to reforest the area with huarangos.<ref name=nyt>{{Cite news | last = Romero | first = Simon | title = Ecosystem in Peru Is Losing a Key Ally | work = The New York Times | date = 2009-11-08 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/world/americas/08peru.html?partner=rss&emc=rss }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title = Tree planting in the driest place on Earth | work = BBC | last = Walton | first = John | date = 2009-04-20 | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7934406.stm }}</ref><ref>Climate Stewards. ''[http://www.climatestewards.net/cs-int-en/projects/peru.html Peru – Feasibility stage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128011757/http://www.climatestewards.net/cs-int-en/projects/peru.html |date=2010-11-28 }}''. Retrieved 17 March 2011.</ref>

==Genetic variability== In the southwest of Ecuador, ''Prosopis pallida'' and ''Prosopis juliflora'' both display substantial genetic variability due to the (intraspecific) cross-pollination of their self-incompatible flowers which are typical of the genus ''Prosopis''. As a result, trees of these species display a range of physical traits that lead to trees of one species resembling descriptions of the other, and the two species are often confused. To compound the difficulty in discerning the species of a given tree, these two species hybridise readily where their ranges overlap.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pasiecznik, Harris, and Smith|title=Identifying Tropical ''Prosopis'' Species|year=2004|publisher=Henry Doubleday Research Association|location=Coventry, UK|url=https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/sites/www.gardenorganic.org.uk/files/resources/international/IdentifyingProsopisGuide.pdf}}</ref> In the semi-arid Zapotillo Canton of Ecuador, both thorn-bearing and thornless strains of ''Prosopis pallida'' exist with thorn-bearing trees being more common. It is the preferred tree of the local people for making charcoal and is sometimes also cut for firewood or fence posts.

==History== The first specimen in Hawaii was planted from a seed brought by missionary Alexis Bachelot from the Palais-Royal Gardens in 1828.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hargreaves|first1=Dorothy|last2=Hargreaves|first2=Bob|title=Tropical Trees of Hawaii|year=1964|publisher=Hargreaves|location=Kailua, Hawaii|page=33}}</ref>

==Photos== <gallery> File:Starr_010206-0227_Prosopis_pallida.jpg|Flower File:Starr 010818-0027 Prosopis pallida.jpg|Pods Image:N Prop S0162.jpg|Spines and leaves Image:Starr_031115-0006_Prosopis_pallida.jpg|Wood File:Starr_010206-0226_Prosopis_pallida.jpg File:Starr 010818-0032 Prosopis pallida.jpg File:Starr 070206-4122 Prosopis pallida.jpg File:Organic white honey.jpg|White honey </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/prosopis_pallida.htm Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk] *[http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/prosopis_pallida.htm ''P. pallida'' photo gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914140508/http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/prosopis_pallida.htm |date=2007-09-14 }} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20010210224259/http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/prosopis/pallida.htm Kiawe info sheet] *[http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/peru/index.htm Habitat restoration and sustainable use of southern Peruvian dry forest: Huarango forest], project by Kew Gardens *[http://www.hawaiiguava.com/kiawe-smoking-wood.html Invasive Species Remedy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141122054053/http://hawaiiguava.com/kiawe-smoking-wood.html |date=2014-11-22 }} *[http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/44447 Prosopis pallida (mesquite) {{pipe}} CABI Invasive Species Compendium]

pallida Category:Plants described in 1823 Category:Trees of Bolivia Category:Trees of Colombia Category:Trees of Ecuador Category:Trees of Peru Category:Cuisine of Hawaii Category:Fodder Category:Taxa named by Aimé Bonpland Category:Taxa named by Alexander von Humboldt Category:Nazca culture Category:Drought-tolerant trees Category:Species that are or were threatened by logging for charcoal Category:Species that are or were threatened by logging for firewood