Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus Prosopis, which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under ground. As a legume, mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogen in the desert habitat. These trees bloom from spring to summer. They often produce fruits known as "pods". Prosopis spp. are able to grow up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall, depending on site and climate. They are deciduous and depending on location and rainfall have either deep or shallow roots. Prosopis is considered long-lived because of the low mortality rate after the dicotyledonous stage and juveniles are also able to survive in conditions with low light and drought. The Cahuilla indigenous people of western North America were known to eat the seeds of mesquite.[1]
Prosopis laevigata mesquite near the Chichimeco dam, in Jesús María, Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Prosopis spp. have been in North America since the Pliocene era and their wood has been dated to 3300 yr BP.[2] They are thought to have evolved with megafauna in the New World. The loss of North American megafauna at the end of the Pleistocene era gave way to one theory of how the Prosopis spp. were able to survive. One theory is that the loss of the megafauna allowed Prosopis spp. to use their fruit pods to attract other organisms to spread their seeds; then, with the introduction of livestock, they were able to spread into grasslands. Another is that Prosopis spp. had always been present in grasslands, but recurring fires had delayed plant and seed development before the emergence of livestock and grazing.
Etymology
The English word mesquite is borrowed from the Spanish word mezquite, which in turn was borrowed from the Nāhuatl term mizquitl.[3][4][5]
Habitat
Mesquites grow as a small shrub in shallow soil or as tall as 50 feet (15 m) in deep soil with adequate moisture, and forms a rounded canopy nearly as wide. They may have one or multiple trunks with a multitude of branches. They have bipinnate leaflets of a light green to blue hue that cast a light to deep shade, depending on the species. Spikes of flowers form in spring and summer that form a flat pod of beans 2 to 6 inches (5 to 15 cm) long. Many varieties form thorns. When cut to the ground, the tree can often recover.
Uses
Once the pod is dry, the whole pod is edible and can be ground into flour and made into bread.
Mesquite is native to the US and can be used as a type of lumber. It was a popular type of wood used by early Spaniards to build ships, but is now used most commonly for high-end rustic furniture and cabinets. Scraps and small pieces are used commonly as wood for cooking with smoke in Southern states. [6]
Red-orange sap can be found on the branches of mesquite trees during the summer. This sap was used by those who lived in the desert for several medicinal treatments. The sap was used as a salve and spread on burns and cuts to speed up the healing process. Gargling a mixture of water and sap was used to soothe sore throats, and the same mixture was said to be able to cure upset stomachs. [7]
As an introduced and invasive species
Nonfederal rangeland where native invasive[clarification needed] mesquite species are present in the United States
Prosopis spp. are different from most invasive species because they are highly invasive in both their native and introduced ranges. Their impacts on the invaded ecosystems include changes to hydrological, energy, and nutrient cycling, as well as consequences to biodiversity and primary production.[1]Prosopis spp. density and canopy cover influence the herbaceous layer and native shrubs and are factors in the changes to the ecosystem.
In the United States, Prosopis has become the dominant woody plant on 38,000,000 hectares (94,000,000 acres) of semiarid grasslands. Although North America is its native range, due to an imbalance within this ecosystem has been able to spread rapidly. It is considered the most common and widely spread "pest" plant in Texas. An estimated 25% of Texas’ grasslands are infested and 16 million acres (6.5 million hectares) are so invaded that it is suppressing the majority of grass production.[2] In Mexico and the US, the two most problematic species are honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina).[8] Australia is also affected by the introduction of Prosopis spp., in particular, the P. pallida, P. glandulosa, P. velutina, and their hybrids with P. juliflora. Prosopis spp. are ranked nationally as one of the 20 most significant weeds. They now cover almost 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of land. Prosopis spp. were originally introduced to help with erosion because of their deep root systems.[9]
Honey mesquite has been introduced to parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia and is considered by the World Conservation Union as one of the world's most problematic invasive species.[10] Its spread into grasslands is mostly attributed to the introduction of domestic livestock, although other factors include climate change, overgrazing, and the reduction of fire frequency.[8] Although Prosopis spp. are naturally occurring in these areas, these changes have resulted in their being able to successfully outcompete other native plants and they are now considered invasive species because they are able to take advantage of vulnerable ecosystems.[8]
Since Australia is a hot and semiarid region, Prosopis spp. have been able to become naturalized. The last known specimens of P. laevigata were eradicated in 2006, but given the possibility of lingering seeds in the soil seed bank, Biosecurity Queensland waited 15 years and declared Australia free of P. laevigata in 2021.[11]
In India, mesquite had been introduced decades ago, but until recently, its effects had not been studied. This genus has been pushing out the Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur).[12] This herbivorous mammal eats the pods of Prosopis spp, which was one of the intended purposes of its introduction. Through digesting and excreting the seeds, the Indian wild asses are providing the habitat needed for germination. The 5,000 square kilometres (1,931 sq mi) Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary is experiencing mesquite invasion of roughly 1.95 square kilometres (0.75 sq mi) a year. By overtaking the land, the dense canopy cover of mesquite has made it so native vegetation cannot grow. It has also made watering holes inaccessible to the animals within this region. This lack of resources and range is forcing the endangered Indian wild ass into human landscapes and agriculture fields and locals are killing these asses to protect their crops.
Control strategies
Controlling mesquite is a challenging task. One often-used method is mechanical control. This can be effective with high mortality rates if stems are cut at least 20 centimetres (8 in) underground. Another method is through the application of herbicides, done on an individual plant basis.[13] Basal application is effective to mesquite of all sizes, while foliar application is best for plants smaller than 1.5 metres (5 ft). Another physical option for control is through fires. Some species of mesquite are fire-sensitive, while others are fire-tolerant. For those that are fire-sensitive, this method can be highly effective, but those that are fire-tolerant require hot and intense fires to be effective. In Australia, scientists are trying biological control methods. They have introduced multiple insects, but the most effective in causing high population level impact is the leaf-tying moth (Evippe spp.).[14] The most recommended method for managing Prosopis, both in native and introduced ranges, is by targeting large numbers of plants either through herbicide or physical removal. Also, research is being done on using satellite and aerial images to assess canopy cover and determine which ranges should be targeted.[15]
^ abKlinken, Rieks D. van; Graham, Jodi; Flack, Lloyd K. (2006-01-13). "Population Ecology of Hybrid Mesquite (Prosopis Species) in Western Australia: How Does it Differ from Native Range Invasions and What are the Implications for Impacts and Management?". Biological Invasions. 8 (4): 727–741. doi:10.1007/s10530-005-3427-7. ISSN 1387-3547. S2CID 28225745.
^ abBrown, J. R.; Archer, Steve (2013-03-13). "Woody plant invasion of grasslands: establishment of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var.glandulosa) on sites differing in herbaceous biomass and grazing history". Oecologia. 80 (1): 19–26. doi:10.1007/BF00789926. ISSN 0029-8549. PMID 23494340. S2CID 13383252.
^Entry for mizquitl in the A Nahuatl–English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos by John Bierhorst (p. 216).
^Daniel Vaughn (September 15, 2015). "Smoking With Mesquite". Texas Monthly.
^Tumacacori, Mailing Address: P. O. Box 8067; Us, AZ 85640 Phone:377-5060 Contact. "Mesquite - Tumacácori National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
^(PDF). Weeds.org.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-26.
^Mirik, Mustafa; Ansley, R. James (2012-06-29). "Utility of Satellite and Aerial Images for Quantification of Canopy Cover and Infilling Rates of the Invasive Woody Species Honey Mesquite (Prosopis Glandulosa) on Rangeland". Remote Sensing. 4 (7): 1947–1962. Bibcode:2012RemS....4.1947M. doi:10.3390/rs4071947.
^"nature-mesquite". Texasbeyondhistory.net. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
Honey mesquite, Screwbean mesquite, and Western mesquite at Texas A&M's Plant Answers
Honey mesquite at the Texas Tree Planting Guide
article on wood to ethanol using mesquite
Health Benefits of Mesquite
Rogers, Ken E. (2000). The Magnificent Mesquite. University of Texas Press. ISBN978-0-292-77105-5. OCLC 43036762.
"Mesquite". Business Queensland. 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
May 05, 2023
mesquite, this, article, about, tree, city, texas, texas, city, nevada, nevada, other, uses, disambiguation, common, name, several, plants, genus, prosopis, which, contains, over, species, small, leguminous, trees, they, native, areas, americas, they, have, ex. This article is about a tree For the city in Texas see Mesquite Texas For the city in Nevada see Mesquite Nevada For other uses see Mesquite disambiguation Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus Prosopis which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees They are native to dry areas in the Americas They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under ground As a legume mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogen in the desert habitat These trees bloom from spring to summer They often produce fruits known as pods Prosopis spp are able to grow up to 8 metres 26 ft tall depending on site and climate They are deciduous and depending on location and rainfall have either deep or shallow roots Prosopis is considered long lived because of the low mortality rate after the dicotyledonous stage and juveniles are also able to survive in conditions with low light and drought The Cahuilla indigenous people of western North America were known to eat the seeds of mesquite 1 Prosopis laevigata mesquite near the Chichimeco dam in Jesus Maria Aguascalientes Mexico Contents 1 History 2 Etymology 3 Habitat 4 Uses 5 As an introduced and invasive species 6 Control strategies 7 Species 8 Gallery 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksHistory EditProsopis spp have been in North America since the Pliocene era and their wood has been dated to 3300 yr BP 2 They are thought to have evolved with megafauna in the New World The loss of North American megafauna at the end of the Pleistocene era gave way to one theory of how the Prosopis spp were able to survive One theory is that the loss of the megafauna allowed Prosopis spp to use their fruit pods to attract other organisms to spread their seeds then with the introduction of livestock they were able to spread into grasslands Another is that Prosopis spp had always been present in grasslands but recurring fires had delayed plant and seed development before the emergence of livestock and grazing Etymology EditThe English word mesquite is borrowed from the Spanish word mezquite which in turn was borrowed from the Nahuatl term mizquitl 3 4 5 Habitat EditMesquites grow as a small shrub in shallow soil or as tall as 50 feet 15 m in deep soil with adequate moisture and forms a rounded canopy nearly as wide They may have one or multiple trunks with a multitude of branches They have bipinnate leaflets of a light green to blue hue that cast a light to deep shade depending on the species Spikes of flowers form in spring and summer that form a flat pod of beans 2 to 6 inches 5 to 15 cm long Many varieties form thorns When cut to the ground the tree can often recover Uses EditOnce the pod is dry the whole pod is edible and can be ground into flour and made into bread Mesquite is native to the US and can be used as a type of lumber It was a popular type of wood used by early Spaniards to build ships but is now used most commonly for high end rustic furniture and cabinets Scraps and small pieces are used commonly as wood for cooking with smoke in Southern states 6 Red orange sap can be found on the branches of mesquite trees during the summer This sap was used by those who lived in the desert for several medicinal treatments The sap was used as a salve and spread on burns and cuts to speed up the healing process Gargling a mixture of water and sap was used to soothe sore throats and the same mixture was said to be able to cure upset stomachs 7 As an introduced and invasive species Edit Nonfederal rangeland where native invasive clarification needed mesquite species are present in the United States Prosopis spp are different from most invasive species because they are highly invasive in both their native and introduced ranges Their impacts on the invaded ecosystems include changes to hydrological energy and nutrient cycling as well as consequences to biodiversity and primary production 1 Prosopis spp density and canopy cover influence the herbaceous layer and native shrubs and are factors in the changes to the ecosystem In the United States Prosopis has become the dominant woody plant on 38 000 000 hectares 94 000 000 acres of semiarid grasslands Although North America is its native range due to an imbalance within this ecosystem has been able to spread rapidly It is considered the most common and widely spread pest plant in Texas An estimated 25 of Texas grasslands are infested and 16 million acres 6 5 million hectares are so invaded that it is suppressing the majority of grass production 2 In Mexico and the US the two most problematic species are honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa and velvet mesquite Prosopis velutina 8 Australia is also affected by the introduction of Prosopis spp in particular the P pallida P glandulosa P velutina and their hybrids with P juliflora Prosopis spp are ranked nationally as one of the 20 most significant weeds They now cover almost 1 million hectares 2 5 million acres of land Prosopis spp were originally introduced to help with erosion because of their deep root systems 9 Honey mesquite has been introduced to parts of Africa Asia and Australia and is considered by the World Conservation Union as one of the world s most problematic invasive species 10 Its spread into grasslands is mostly attributed to the introduction of domestic livestock although other factors include climate change overgrazing and the reduction of fire frequency 8 Although Prosopis spp are naturally occurring in these areas these changes have resulted in their being able to successfully outcompete other native plants and they are now considered invasive species because they are able to take advantage of vulnerable ecosystems 8 Since Australia is a hot and semiarid region Prosopis spp have been able to become naturalized The last known specimens of P laevigata were eradicated in 2006 but given the possibility of lingering seeds in the soil seed bank Biosecurity Queensland waited 15 years and declared Australia free of P laevigata in 2021 11 In India mesquite had been introduced decades ago but until recently its effects had not been studied This genus has been pushing out the Indian wild ass Equus hemionus khur 12 This herbivorous mammal eats the pods of Prosopis spp which was one of the intended purposes of its introduction Through digesting and excreting the seeds the Indian wild asses are providing the habitat needed for germination The 5 000 square kilometres 1 931 sq mi Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary is experiencing mesquite invasion of roughly 1 95 square kilometres 0 75 sq mi a year By overtaking the land the dense canopy cover of mesquite has made it so native vegetation cannot grow It has also made watering holes inaccessible to the animals within this region This lack of resources and range is forcing the endangered Indian wild ass into human landscapes and agriculture fields and locals are killing these asses to protect their crops Control strategies EditControlling mesquite is a challenging task One often used method is mechanical control This can be effective with high mortality rates if stems are cut at least 20 centimetres 8 in underground Another method is through the application of herbicides done on an individual plant basis 13 Basal application is effective to mesquite of all sizes while foliar application is best for plants smaller than 1 5 metres 5 ft Another physical option for control is through fires Some species of mesquite are fire sensitive while others are fire tolerant For those that are fire sensitive this method can be highly effective but those that are fire tolerant require hot and intense fires to be effective In Australia scientists are trying biological control methods They have introduced multiple insects but the most effective in causing high population level impact is the leaf tying moth Evippe spp 14 The most recommended method for managing Prosopis both in native and introduced ranges is by targeting large numbers of plants either through herbicide or physical removal Also research is being done on using satellite and aerial images to assess canopy cover and determine which ranges should be targeted 15 Species EditProsopis alba white mesquite Prosopis cineraria Prosopis chilensis Chilean mesquite Prosopis glandulosa honey mesquite 16 Prosopis humilis Prosopis juliflora Prosopis laevigata smooth mesquite Prosopis nigra black mesquite Prosopis pallida Prosopis pubescens screwbean mesquite Prosopis reptans tornillo Prosopis strombulifera creeping mesquite Prosopis velutina velvet mesquite Gallery Edit Screwbean pods Screwbean flowers Honey mesquite foliage with seedpods Velvet mesquite dried seeds Velvet mesquite tree Honey mesquite foliageSee also EditMesquite Bosque Tamaulipan mezquitalReferences Edit a b Klinken Rieks D van Graham Jodi Flack Lloyd K 2006 01 13 Population Ecology of Hybrid Mesquite Prosopis Species in Western Australia How Does it Differ from Native Range Invasions and What are the Implications for Impacts and Management Biological Invasions 8 4 727 741 doi 10 1007 s10530 005 3427 7 ISSN 1387 3547 S2CID 28225745 a b Brown J R Archer Steve 2013 03 13 Woody plant invasion of grasslands establishment of honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa var glandulosa on sites differing in herbaceous biomass and grazing history Oecologia 80 1 19 26 doi 10 1007 BF00789926 ISSN 0029 8549 PMID 23494340 S2CID 13383252 Entry for mizquitl in the A Nahuatl English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos by John Bierhorst p 216 Entry for mesquite in the Diccionario de la lengua espanola Real Academia Espanola Entry for mesquite in the Online Etymology Dictionary Daniel Vaughn September 15 2015 Smoking With Mesquite Texas Monthly Tumacacori Mailing Address P O Box 8067 Us AZ 85640 Phone 377 5060 Contact Mesquite Tumacacori National Historical Park U S National Park Service www nps gov Retrieved 2020 03 25 a b c Mesquite ecology Texas Natural Resources Server Texnat tamu edu Retrieved 2016 04 28 Cullen Jim Julien Mic McFadyen Rachel 2012 03 05 Biological Control of Weeds in Australia Csiro Publishing ISBN 9780643104211 100 of the World s Worst Invasive Alien Species PDF K state edu Archived from the original PDF on 2008 10 11 Retrieved 2009 11 27 Chen David 2021 07 28 Potential super weed eradicated from Australia ABC News Retrieved 2021 07 28 Platt John R Mesquite Invasion Threatens a Unique Species in India Scientific American Blog Network Retrieved 2016 04 28 Mesquite Texas Natural Resources Server Mesquite Management PDF Weeds org au Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 26 Mirik Mustafa Ansley R James 2012 06 29 Utility of Satellite and Aerial Images for Quantification of Canopy Cover and Infilling Rates of the Invasive Woody Species Honey Mesquite Prosopis Glandulosa on Rangeland Remote Sensing 4 7 1947 1962 Bibcode 2012RemS 4 1947M doi 10 3390 rs4071947 nature mesquite Texasbeyondhistory net Retrieved 3 October 2018 External links Edit Wikisource has the text of the 1879 American Cyclopaedia article Mezquite Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Mesquite USDA NRCS Plants Database Honey mesquite Screwbean mesquite and Western mesquite at Texas A amp M s Plant Answers Honey mesquite at the Texas Tree Planting Guide AgNews article on wood to ethanol using mesquite Health Benefits of Mesquite Rogers Ken E 2000 The Magnificent Mesquite University of Texas Press ISBN 978 0 292 77105 5 OCLC 43036762 Mesquite Business Queensland 2015 10 31 Retrieved 2021 07 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mesquite amp oldid 1125726030, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
