Parkinsonia
(named after John Parkinson, 1567-1629, an apothecary of London, author of "Paradisis Terrestris," and "Theatrum Botanicum"). ORD. Leguminous. A genus comprising only three species of stove or greenhouse trees, of which one is Mexican, the second South African, and the third broadly dispersed over the warmer parts of Western America and the Antilles. Flowers disposed in short, loose, axillary racemes; calyx segments five, narrow, imbricate or sub-valvate; petals five, spreading. Pods linear, torulose. Leaves at first sight apparently simply pinnate and fasciculate, but really bipinnate; common petiole very short, spine-like; pinnae two to four, very long; leaflets numerous, small; stipules often short, spinescent. P. aculeate, the only species in cultivation, is an ornamental, stove, evergreen plant, of great beauty, but very difficult to preserve. It is generally raised from imported seeds. The young plants should be potted in a well-drained, porous loam, and kept in a light, airy place.
P. aculeata (prickly). Jerusalem Thorn. fl. yellow, sweet-scented, disposed in loose, pendulous racemes. l. bipinnate; leaflets usually deciduous or abortive; petioles linear, very long, winged. h. 8ft. to 10ft. Tropical America, 1739; cultivated in all tropical countries. Plant furnished with generally solitary, straight prickles or spines. Stove.