The genus Prosopis, from the Greek for a kind of prickly fruit, is a mainly American group of about 44 species.The only species in our region is called P. glandulosaTorr., for the gland that occurs on the male part or stamen. It is commonly called mesquite or honey mesquite and historically was uncommon in our area. It has greatly increased in abundance and is a problematic invader of overgrazed grasslands. This increase in abundance is largely due to spread by cattle, fire suppression, and overgrazing. Its leaves are divided and it has many tiny flowers each with 10 cream-colored to yellowish stamens that form a spike(See photographs on next page). The flowers are visited by honeybees. Fruits are bean-like pods that are technically called legumes. You can see young legumes just after pollination in the upper spike of the top photograph. Wildlife and livestock eat the legumes when they mature into the bean-like fruits. Cattle and other livestock aid in fruit dispersal as the seeds that are not destroyed by chewing pass through the digestive tract ready to germinate in a new location.
Honey mesquite is considered a native invader of rangeland in the region. Since the seeds are spread by cattle, the introduction of large numbers of grazing animals in the southwest beginning in the 1800s is probably the most important factor in its increased density. Honey mesquite is known for deep roots, which may go to depths of over 100 feet. The extensive root systems use large amounts of scarce groundwater. Honey mesquite is not all bad newsfor the ecosystem since it is an important wildlife food and can enrich soil nutrients. Its roots contain growths called nodules where bacteria live that can remove nitrogen from air in pores of soil and convert it into nitrogen compounds that can be used in the food web of the ecosystem.
Humans have also made use of the legume. In drought-prone regions, honey mesquite and other species supply an abundant wild food. Native Americans used the fruit for food such as meal, syrup, and jellies. The Comanche tribe mixed the meal with marrow to create a mush and molded it into loaves that were baked. The Apache tribe mixed the meal with water and allowed it to ferment producing a beer that was commonly consumed. I have attempted to brew mesquite-bean beer but to date have had no success.
Juice from the leaves was also used medicinally by Native Americans. Apaches used the juice from leaves to treat pinkeye and eye infectionsand the Comanche Indians used the leaf juice as an antacid. There are many other purported medicinal uses of honey mesquite by Native Americans.
Native Americans used the wood for building shelters and for making weapons and tools. Today, woodworkers use it because of the beautiful reddish brown wood. Because of its increased density in many Texas ecosystems, we use the wood for firewood andit is widely used in adding a smoked flavor to meats. The wood is beginning to be used in many other ways as well. For example, I received a beautiful hunting knife for Christmas one year that had a mesquite-wood handle.
Sources:
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Research Foundation, Renner, Texas.
Diggs, G. M., B. L. Lipscomb, & R. J. O’Kennon. 1999. Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. Fort Worth, Texas.
Tull, D. 2013. Edible and useful plants of the southwest: TX, NM and AZ. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Turner, M. W. 2009. Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of Our Common Natives. Austin: University of Texas Press.
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