| Albizia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), foliage and blossoms | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Albizia Durazz. (1772) |
| Diversity | |
| About 150 species | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Albizia is agenus of more than 160species of mostly fast-growingsubtropical andtropicaltrees andshrubs in the subfamilyMimosoideae of thefamily Fabaceae. The genus ispantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America and Australia, but mostly in theOld World tropics. In some locations, some species are consideredweeds.
They are commonly calledsilk plants,silk trees, orsirises. The obsolete spelling of the generic name – with double 'z' – is still common, so the plants may be calledalbizzias. The generic name honors the Italian noblemanFilippo degli Albizzi, who introducedAlbizia julibrissin to Europe in the mid-18th century.[2] Some species are commonly calledmimosa, which more accurately refers to plants of genusMimosa. Species from southeast Asia used for timber are sometime termedEast Indian walnut.
They are usually small trees or shrubs with a short lifespan, though the famousSamán del Guère nearMaracay inVenezuela is a hugeAlbizia saman specimen several hundred years old. Theleaves arepinnately or bipinnately compound. The smallflowers are in bundles, withstamens much longer than thepetals. The stamens are usually showy, although in some species such asA. canescens the flowers are inconspicuous.[3]
Unlike those ofMimosa,Albizia flowers have many more than 10 stamens.Albizia can also be told apart from another large related genus,Acacia, by its stamens, which are joined at the bases instead of separate.[4]
Numerous species placed inAlbizia by early authors were eventually moved to other genera, most notablyArchidendron. Other genera ofIngeae (Abarema,Archidendropsis,Blanchetiodendron,Calliandra,Cathormion,Enterolobium,Havardia,Hesperalbizia,Hydrochorea,Pararchidendron,Paraserianthes,Pseudosamanea andSerianthes) have also received their share of formerAlbizia species, as have theMimoseaeNewtonia andSchleinitzia. Some presumed "silk trees" are in fact misidentified members of the not very closely related genusErythrophleum from theCaesalpinioideae andLebeckia from theFaboideae.[5]
The delimitation ofFalcataria andPithecellobium, close relatives ofAlbizia, is notoriously complex, with species having been moved between the genera time and again, and this will likely continue. These includeFalcataria falcata (the Moluccan albizia, formerly namedAlbizia moluccana), a common shade tree ontea plantations. Other closely related genera likeChloroleucon andSamanea are often merged withAlbizia entirely.[5]
Albizias are importantforage,timber, andmedicinal plants,[6][7] and many are cultivated asornamentals for their attractive flowers – notablyAlbizia julibrissin.[8]
Some species are used as food plants by thelarvae ofmoths in the genusEndoclita, includingE. damor,E. malabaricus, andE. sericeus.
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