Trees to 10 m, crown rounded. Stems pilosulous to glabrescent, bark light tan, fissured in rec­tangular plate, with con­spic­uous pale lenticels on young branches. Leaves 6–24 cm; stipules 2–4 mm; petiole 6–7(–9.5) cm, ribbed to channeled, sometimes pilose; gland proximal, ± circular; pinnae 2 or 3 pairs, 7–14 cm, with gland between distal pair; leaflets 5–7 pairs, blades not bicolored, oblong to ovate, 2–4(–5) cm, venation palmate-pinnate, midvein subcentral, base acute, apex rounded, mucronate, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes translucent, pilose abaxially; terminal pair not heteromorphic. Peduncles 7–8 cm, pilose; bracts linear, 3 mm. Inflorescences 30–40-flowered, (1 or)2 or 3 per node, axillary, capitula; axis pilose; floral bracts linear, 2 mm. Pedicels, except central flowers, 1.5–4.5 mm. Flowers: calyx tubular, 3–6 mm, lobes 5 or 6, short-pubescent; corolla campanulate, 4–10 mm, lobes 4 or 5, glabrous except for lobes; stamens 30, white, 15–25 mm, tube to 4 mm; central flowers: sessile, calyx to 5.5 mm, lobes 5, pilose; corolla 10–11 mm, campanulate, lobes 5; stamens 20–30, to 23 mm, tube to 10 mm. Legumes sessile, ochre-brown, 1.2–18.6(–25) × 3.7–6 cm (including beak), margins straight to slightly constricted between seeds, base rounded, apex acute, with 10 mm beak, glabrescent, usually dehiscent along 1 suture, valves undulating, raised over seeds. Seeds 4–11, 7–8(–12) × 7–9 mm. 2n = 26.

Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer; fruiting spring–fall.
Habitat: Disturbed thickets, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Introduced; Calif., Fla., Tex., Asia, introduced also in Mexico, West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles), Bermuda, Central America, South America, Africa, Pacific Islands (Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

Albizia lebbeck is widely cultivated as an ornamental and shade tree; it is naturalized in the subtropics and tropics and is abundant in central and southern Florida. The rattling pods are persistent during the winter while the trees are leafless (D. Isely 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.