Calliandra

Calliandra
File:Starr 071024-9938 Calliandra haematocephala.jpg
Calliandra haematocephala
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Mimosoideae
Tribe:	Ingeae
Genus:	Calliandra Benth.
Species
See text
Synonyms
Anneslia Salisb. Codonandra H.Karst.

Calliandra is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae. It contains about 140 species that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

Description

The genus comprises herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs and rarely small trees growing 0.5–6 m tall, with bipinnate leaves. The flowers are produced in cylindrical or globose inflorescences and have numerous long slender stamens which give rise to the common names powder-puff, powder puff plant, and fairy duster. These plants flower all year round, but the best blooming is in spring and summer. They can be easily pruned.

Selected species

Calliandra bella Benth. Calliandra biflora Tharp Calliandra brevipes Benth. Calliandra californica Benth. Calliandra calothyrsus Meissn. Calliandra chilensis Benth. Calliandra conferta Benth. Calliandra cruegeri Griseb. Calliandra dysantha Benth. Calliandra emarginata Calliandra eriophylla Benth. Calliandra erubescens Renvoize Calliandra foliolosa Benth. Calliandra grandiflora (L'Hér.) Benth. Calliandra guildingii Benth. Calliandra haematocephala Hassk. Calliandra haematomma (Bertero ex DC.) Benth. Calliandra harrisii Benth.

Calliandra houstoniana (Mill.) Standl. Calliandra humilis Benth. Calliandra inaequilatera Rusby Calliandra juzepczukii Standl. Calliandra laxa (Willd.) Benth. Calliandra macrocalyx Harms Calliandra macrocephala Benth. Calliandra parviflora Benth. Calliandra parvifolia (Hook. & Arn.) Speg. Calliandra peninsularis Rose Calliandra physocalyx H.M.Hern. & M.Sousa Calliandra purpurea (L.) Benth. Calliandra riparia Pittier Calliandra surinamensis Benth. Calliandra tergemina (L.) Benth. Calliandra tweediei Benth.

Formerly placed here

• Havardia pallens (Benth.) Britton & Rose (as C. pallens Benth.)
• Zapoteca caracasana (Jacq.) H.M.Hern. (as C. caracasana (Jacq.) Benth.)
• Zapoteca formosa subsp. formosa (as C. formosa (Kunth) Benth. and C. marginata Griseb. ex R.O.Williams)
• Zapoteca formosa subsp. schottii (Torr. & S.Watson) H.M.Hern. (as C. schottii Torr. & S.Watson)
• Zapoteca portoricensis (Jacq.) H.M.Hern. (as C. portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth.)
• Zapoteca tetragona (Willd.) H.M.Hern. (as C. tetragona (Willd.) Benth.)

Gallery

• Calliandra tweedi.jpg

  Calliandra tweediei

• Calliandra flwr.jpg

  Buds and open flowers of Calliandra calothyrsus

• Calliandra-Powder Puff.jpg

  Powder Puff