Jacaranda - Jacaranda

A general term for the genus Jacaranda in the Bignoniaceae family (APG classification: Bignoniaceae). It is a shrub or tall tree with about 50 species distributed in tropical America. J. acutifolia Humb. et Bonpl. is native to Peru and grows to a height of about 3 meters. It has beautiful, opposite, fern-like, bipinnate compound leaves, with linear lanceolate leaflets arranged in 5-6 pairs per pinnae. It produces panicles at the ends of the branches, and blooms bell-shaped blue flowers. It flowers in May in Okinawa. J. mimosifolia D.Don, which is often confused with it, is native to Argentina, grows to a height of over 15 meters, and loses its leaves in early spring. The leaflets are oblong, rhomboidal, hairy, and there are more than 12 pairs per pinnae. It is widely planted as a garden or roadside tree in tropical and subtropical regions, and is also cultivated outdoors in warm regions of Japan.

[Yoshio Kobayashi October 20, 2021]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ノウゼンカズラ科（APG分類：ノウゼンカズラ科）ジャカランダ属の総称。低木または高木で熱帯アメリカに約50種分布する。J. acutifolia Humb. et Bonpl.はペルー原産で高さ約3メートル。葉は対生し、シダ状の2回羽状複葉で美しく、小葉は線状披針(ひしん)形で小羽片に5、6対つく。枝端に円錐(えんすい)花序をつくり、鐘形の青色花を開く。花期は、沖縄では5月。よく混同されるJ. mimosifolia D.Donはアルゼンチン原産で高さ15メートル以上に達し、早春に落葉。小葉は長楕円(ちょうだえん)状扁菱(へんりょう)形で毛があり、小羽片に12対以上ある。熱帯、亜熱帯の庭木または街路樹として広く植えられ、日本でも温暖な地域では野外で栽培される。

［小林義雄　2021年10月20日］

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