Dwarf Powder Puff

Overview

Calliandra tergemina var. emarginata is native to Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela. Genus epithet 'Calliandra' derived from Greek for 'kalos' 'beautiful' and 'andros' 'stamen', a reference to the plant's conspicuous silky-red inflorescence stamens. Species epithet tergermina means 'three-paired' and refers to the 3 leaflets present on each leaf stalk. Variety epithet 'emarginata' means 'with a notched margin', describing how the mature terminal leaflets are cleft in the centre. It is desirable for its ornamental flowers. Plant is a source of an effective tanning agent.

Vernacular Names

Tabardillo (Spanish).

Agroecology

Grows in the forests on the banks of the rivers, in the valleys and on the slopes of the mountains up to about 1,000 m of altitude. It is cultivable in the tropical and subtropical climate zones in full sun or slght shade. It resists, with damage to the foliage, up to about -2 °C and up to about -5 °C, for very short period, at radical level, revegetating in spring. It requires soils rich of organic substance, draining and regularly watered during the dry periods. Plant assumes sprawling and lower-growing form under full sun, but is more upright with more open crown under shade. 

Morphology

• Stem -  erect, woody, thin cylindrical stems.
• Leaves - compound, opposite, leaflets shaped like kidneys or lungs, light to medium green, with 3 leaflets (2 paired terminal ones, 1 lone and smaller) per petiole. Young leaves orangey, maturing to green. Leaflets and petiole somewhat velvety due to fine surface hairs. Leaves droop and fold up at night.
• Flower - Globular mimosa-like powderpuff inflorescence, 2.5 to 6 cm across, with numerous red or pinkish-red filamentous stamens, lasting 2-3 days before wilting. Unopened flowers buds resemble a bunch of red berries. Free-flowering, providing nectar for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies
• Fruit - flattened dehiscent seedpods. ripening from green to brown, with thickened margin, before splitting open explosively from tip to base,  5-10 cm long and about 0,7 cm broad, of brown colour, containing 6-8 seeds, twisting back in a double curve to eject seeds several meters away.
• Seeds -  flat seed, dark brown colour, oval to elliptic, about 0,6 cm long and 0,3 cm broad, which suddenly open when ripe throwing the seeds at a distance of various metres.

Cultivation

Generative propagation is by seeds, and vegetative propagation is by stem cuttings.

Chemical Constituents

Galloylated flavonol rhamnosides [kaempferol-3-O-(2",3",4"-tri-O-galloyl)-a-L -rhamnopyr-anoside, quercetin-3-O-(3",4"-di-O-galloyl)-a-L -rhamnopyranoside, and quercetin-3-O-(2",3",4"-tri-O-galloyl)-a-L -rhamnopyranoside], non-galloylated flavonolrhamnosides.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Flowers are crushed and mixed with water to treat inflammation of the eye and ulcers of the skin.
• The leaf extract is used for internal complaints.