Robinia

Robinia
Robinia pseudoacacia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Robinieae Genus: Robinia
Species
Between 8-10; see text

Robinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, native to North America and northern Mexico. Commonly known as locusts, they are deciduous trees and shrubs growing 4-25 m tall. The leaves are pinnate with 7-21 oval leaflets. The flowers are white or pink, in usually pendulous racemes. Many species have thorny shoots, and several have sticky hairs on the shoots.

The genus is named after the French gardener Jean Robin, who introduced the plant in Europe in 1601.

The number of species is disputed between different authorities, with as few as four recognised by some authors, while others recognise up to ten species. There are also several natural hybrids.

Some species of Robinia are used as food by larvae of Lepidoptera, including Brown-tail, Buff-tip, The Engrailed and Giant Leopard Moth.

Species

(*: not accepted as distinct by all authorities)

• Robinia boyntonii *
• Robinia elliottii *
• Robinia hartwegii * (R. viscosa var. hartwegii)
• Robinia hispida - Bristly locust
• Robinia kelseyi *
• Robinia luxurians *
• Robinia nana *
• Robinia neomexicana - New Mexican locust
• Robinia pseudoacacia - Black locust, False Acacia
• Robinia viscosa - Clammy locust

Hybrids

• Robinia × ambigua - R. pseudoacacia × R. viscosa
• Robinia × holdtii - R. neomexicana × R. pseudoacacia
• Robinia × longiloba - R. hispida × R. viscosa
• Robinia × margarettiae - R. hispida × R. pseudoacacia

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