Taxon: Zapoteca portoricensis (Jacq.) H. M. Hern.

Summary

Genus:

Zapoteca

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Caesalpinioideae

Tribe:

Ingeae

Nomen number:

314057

Place of publication:

Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 73:758. 1987 ("1986")

Verified:

07/24/1989 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Mimosa portoricensis Jacq.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Acacia portoricensis (Jacq.) Willd.
Anneslia portoricensis (Jacq.) Donn. Sm.
Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource). Note: recognizes subsp. portoricensis and flavida
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica
Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
Hoc, P. S. 1992. Calliandra (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae) en la Argentina. Darwiniana 31:205. Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis. Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth
Rico, L. & T. Pennington. 2012. Review of Fabaceae Neotropical Mimosoideae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm.
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
Spanish	efesillo	2	Rico, L. & T. Pennington. 2012. Review of Fabaceae Neotropical Mimosoideae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm.
Spanish	guaje blanco	2	Rico, L. & T. Pennington. 2012. Review of Fabaceae Neotropical Mimosoideae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm.
Spanish	pelo de ángel	2	Rico, L. & T. Pennington. 2012. Review of Fabaceae Neotropical Mimosoideae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Zacatecas		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guanajuato		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Hidalgo		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Puebla		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Querétaro		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Ceará		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Goiás		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Pará		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Pernambuco		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Cibao Norte		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Enriquillo		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Valdesia		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Haiti	Nord		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource). Note: recognizes subsp. portoricensis and flavida
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)	Tortola		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize	Toledo		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Central America
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica	Cartago		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador	San Salvador		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador	Santa Ana		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Alta Verapaz		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Chiquimula		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Escuintla		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Guatemala		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Huehuetenango		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Izabal		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Jutiapa		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Petén		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Quetzaltenango		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Retalhuleu		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala	Santa Rosa		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras	Lempira		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras	Santa Bárbara		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua	Estelí		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua	Jinotega		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua	Matagalpa		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua	Zelaya		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama	Chiriquí		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama	Darién		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana	Barima-Waini		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Carabobo		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Delta Amacuro		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Misiones	n.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia	Santa Cruz		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Chocó		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Meta		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia	Santander		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Guayas		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Los Ríos		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru	Huánuco		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru	Junín		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru	Loreto		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru	San Martín		Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist

Native
Northern America

NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Dominican Republic [Valdesia, Enriquillo, Cibao Norte], Grenada, Haiti [Nord], Jamaica, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S., Virgin Islands, U.S.], Virgin Islands (British) [Tortola]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Central America, Belize [Toledo], Costa Rica [Cartago], Guatemala [Alta Verapaz, Chiquimula, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Jutiapa, Petén, Retalhuleu, Santa Rosa, Izabal, Quetzaltenango], Honduras [Lempira, Santa Bárbara], Nicaragua [Estelí, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Zelaya], Panama [Chiriquí, Darién], El Salvador [San Salvador, Santa Ana]
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Guyana [Barima-Waini], Venezuela [Carabobo, Delta Amacuro]
BRAZIL: Brazil [Ceará, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Pará, Pernambuco]
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia [Santa Cruz], Colombia [Meta, Santander, Chocó], Ecuador [Guayas, Los Ríos], Peru [Huánuco, Junín, Loreto, San Martín]
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Misiones (n.)]

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ghana, Nigeria, Togo

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource). Note: recognizes subsp. portoricensis and flavida
Hernández, H. M. 1989. Systematics of Zapoteca (Leguminosae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76:818.
Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:761.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth
Environmental	ornamental		Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Calliandra portoricensis (Jacq.) Benth

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=314057. Accessed 17 April 2026.