The Retama (Parkinsonia aculeata) is uniquely South Texas Brush Country, especially well-known for its adaptation to drought. It produces long thin compound leaves in the early Spring with very small leaflets and a winged rachis. As the weather begins to dry out in early summer, the leaflets fall off to control water loss by reducing transpiration.
If it continues to dry out through the summer, as it typically does, the tree will eventually lose the winged rachis, further conserving water. It can continue doing photosynthesis in its green bark with very little water loss after the leaves drop, thus making it exceedingly drought tolerant.
As with many, if not most, of the South Texas Brush Country's trees and shrubs, the Retama has abundant thorns to protect it. It begins blooming in mid-Spring, producing vibrant yellow flowers with orange highlights:
One would think, or at least I do, that a plant as common, yet unique, as Retama would have some sort of legendary reputation.
Other than a few comments on the many common names for the Retama: Lluvia de Oro (Golden Rain), Mexican Paloverde, Horsebean, Jerusalem Thorn, and a few others, I can't find any legendary stories about this plant. The name "Jerusalem Thorn" is said to be a corruption of the Spanish word "girasol" as the plant has no relation at all to the Middle Eastern city.
Perhaps there are stories in the South Texas oral tradition that haven't been recorded or published if they have been recorded. Maybe someday I'll stumble across some...
These photos were taken on a walk along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River upstream from the VFW Blvd trailhead to Roosevelt Ave on Tuesday, April 19, 2016.
Click on the first photo in a post to open the photos in slideshow view.
I eat the unripe beans of Retama often - they taste very similar to Edamame. I've read ethnobotanical reports that the Comanche would collect the dried beans and grind them into flour; I couldn't find any references to their using fresh beans but that may be due to the fact that it's hard to get to the beans before they harden. I've eaten thousands of the green beans without ill effect.
ReplyDeleteGabe, Thanks for the info. The indigenous people in South Texas used Mesquite beans as a major food item. I hadn't come across any reference to Retama beans having been used for food. Many legumes are edible, while others are toxic and I'm fairly certain it was well known which could be eaten and which to avoid.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.eattheweeds.com/parkensonia-aculeatas-thorny-past-2/
DeleteI did find a source - I remembered the specific tribe incorrectly, but there is mention of the Pima eating the beans while green.
Thanks for the warning about wild legumes! I am very cautious about the family as I know there are species that will cause death or paralysis; the only species I eat are Retama, Redbud and Mesquite.