Botanical Name: Caesalpinia gilliesii
Family: Fabaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Genus: Erythrostemon
Species: E. gilliesii
Synonyms:
*Erythrostemon gilliesii
*Poinciana gilliesii Wall.
Common Names: Bird Of Paradise, Bird-of-paradise shrub, Bird of paradise bush, Desert bird of paradise, Yellow bird of paradise, and Barba de chivo.
Habitat: Caesalpinia gilliesii is native to Southern South America – Argentina and Uruguay. It grows wild in pastures and dry habitats in Texas.
Description:
Caesalpinia gilliesii is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1–4 m tall, depending on rainfall. . The leaves are bipinnate, 10–15 cm long, bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 5–6 mm long and 2–4 mm broad. It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow petals with 10 long conspicuous red stamens. The pods are densely covered in short, red glandular hairs. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen.
Although it is a tropical plant adapted to dry climate, it also thrives in the climate of Avsa and neighboring islands in the south of Sea of Marmara in northwestern Turkey, where it is commonly known as Pa?ab?y??? (Pasabiyigi), Cennetku?u a?ac? (Cennetkusu agaci), which in Turkish means “bird of paradise tree,” and Bodurakasya, which means “dwarf acacia”. This species is also fairly common in the Karoo of South Africa.
Cultivation:
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in any moderately fertile well-drained soil including limy soils. This species is on the borderline of hardiness in Britain. It can tolerate occasional lows down to about -12°c, so long as it is not too wet. It is best grown against a warm, sheltered sunny wall. The plant succeeds against a warm wall at Kew Gardens, where it has grown to a height of 8 metres, it also succeeds in more open conditions on the Isle of Wight]. The plant is often cultivated for its very ornamental, showy flowers. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Medicinal uses:
The seeds are reported to have antitumour activity . Medicine men of peoples indigenous to the Amazon Rainforest used this plant and the similar Caesalpinia pulcherrima, which they called ayoowiri, for curing fever, sores, and cough. Four grams from the root is also said to induce abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. However, the seeds and the green seed pods of this plant are toxic, provoking severe vomiting and other abdominal symptoms.
Known Hazards: The green seed pods are severely irritating to the digestive tract.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Rersources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrostemon_gilliesii
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Caesalpinia+gilliesii
