Palse-mesquite, also known as bastard-mesquite and false-catclaw because 

 of its resemblance to the related mesquites (Prosopis spp.) and catciaw 

 (Acacia greggii), belongs to tbe mimosa family (Mimosaceae), which some 

 botanists prefer to regard as a subfamily or tribe of the legume, or pea family 

 ( Leguminosae, or Papilionaceae). Yerba bonita (pretty herb), a commonly 

 used Spanish name, is locally applied to this small but showy, purple-flowered, 

 delicate-leaved shrub of the Southwest. The generic name Calliandra, trans- 

 lated from the Greek, signifies beautiful stamens, and refers to the conspicuous, 

 brilliant stamens of most species. The specific name criophylla is a Greek 

 adjective meaning woolly-leaved (erian, wool + phullon, leaf) and, like the 

 common names hairy calliandra and hairy-leaf calliandra, which are occasion- 

 ally applied to this plant, refers to the hairiness of the leaves of this species. 

 The plant also is sometimes called fairies' duster because the numerous stamens 

 on their long, threadlike stalks form a plumelike cluster resembling a dainty 

 feather duster. 



False-mesquite, distributed from western Texas to central Arizona and south- 

 ward throughout most of Mexico, is the commonest species of Calliandra in the 

 West. It grows on the warm, open, sunny exposures of dry mesas and foot- 

 hills in the desert-shrub and open grassland types, being especially common 

 between elevations of 3,000 and 5,000 feet. This species appears on a wide 

 variety of soils, but is particularly characteristic of sandy gravels of granitic 

 origin and gravelly clay soils. It sometimes constitutes as much as 25 percent 

 of the ground cover over large areas on the more favorable sites. Under less 

 favorable conditions, it grows as scattered individuals and is associated usually 

 with catciaw, mesquite, paloverde, curly-mesquite, three-awns, and with spruce- 

 top, and other lower-range gramas. 



This species is a valuable forage plant on many ranges, qualifying wherever 

 it occurs as one of the better yearlong browse plants for all classes of domestic 

 livestock, deer, and possibly other wild animals. The palatability varies, ac- 

 cording to plant association, from fairly good to good and is occasionally rated 

 even higher. Generally, on properly grazed range about 40 to 60 percent of the 

 current year's growth of false-mesquite is utilized on a yearlong basis. It is 

 one of the first plants to start growth in the spring if winter and spring rain- 

 fall is adequate; at this time, when there is a scarcity of green forage, the 

 succulent shoots, leaves, and flowers are especially palatable. This shrub makes 

 a good second growth and blossoms again with the advent of summer rains and, 

 despite its small size, produces copious foliage which, in the aggregate, provides 

 a relatively large volume of forage. The pods are equal to the flowers and 

 leaves in palatability. False-mesquite, being a low, open-crowned, unarmed 

 shrub, is very accessible to grazing animals and is ordinarily grazed very closely 

 on overgrazed ranges and during drought. Any tendency of the plant to assume 

 a very stubby, stunted appearance indicates that the range is being grazed to 

 excess. False-mesquite, however, withstands heavy grazing, as is evidenced by 

 its persistence on overgrazed areas after the better grasses have practically 

 been exterminated. Heavily browsed plants recover readily under protection 

 or moderate use. 



Chemical analyses of leaves and young twigs of false-mesquite from the Pres- 

 cott National Forest in Arizona, made for the Forest Service by the Bureau 

 of Chemistry and Soils, 1 show that the fats and oils (ether extract) and pro- 

 tein content of this species approximately equals that of alfalfa hay. False- 

 mesquite has a crude fiber content but little more than half that of alfalfa hay ; 

 its carbohydrate content (nitrogen -free extract) is also considerably higher. 



False-mesquite grows as high as 2 feet and is rather erect when not grazed 

 but, on the open range, it usually varies from 3 to 12 inches in height. The 

 branches are rather stiff and bluish gray in color ; the young twigs are soft- 

 hairy. This plant is distinguishable readily from related associates of other 

 genera of the mimosa family by its purple flowers and unarmed branches. Only 

 two other species of Calliandra, O. humilis and C. reticulata, are native to the 

 western United States. They are small (4 to 8 inches tall), substantially her- 

 baceous plants with woody bases, occurring in Arizona, New Mexico, and 

 Mexico, but are not so abundant, widespread, or as high in forage value as 

 false-mesquite. 



1 Dayton, W. A. IMPORTANT WESTERN BROWSE PLANTS. U. S. Dept. Agr. Misc. Pub. 

 101, 214 pp., illus. 1931. 



