Calliandra calothyrsus

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Calliandra calothyrsus is a small leguminous tree or large shrub in the family Fabaceae. It is native to the tropics of Central America where its typical habitat is wet tropical forests or seasonally dry forests with a dry season of four to seven months, when it may become deciduous. This tree grows to about 6 m (20 ft) and has pinnate compound leaves and flowers with a boss of prominent reddish-purple stamens. It is not very drought-tolerant, and the above-ground parts can be short-lived in case of severe drought lasting many months, but the roots regularly resprout. It is a multipurpose legume tree that can improve the soil by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere. It is easily grown from seed; growth is slow at first but speeds up after the first year. It is used for reforestation, provides soil stabilisation on sloping sites, and provides useful high-quality fodder for livestock. It can be regularly coppiced to provide firewood. Because of these features, it has been planted in other parts of the tropics, but care may have to be taken so that it does not become an invasive species. However, it lacks many features of typical invasive trees, naturally growing in disturbed areas rather than mature forests.