Texas Wildbuds
Ebenopsis ebano
(Texas Ebony)
Ebenopsis ebano, Falcon State Park, Starr Co. 3986
Ebenopsis ebano, Falcon State Park, Starr Co. 3987
Ebenopsis ebano, Falcon State Park, Starr Co. 3988
Ebenopsis ebano, Falcon State Park, Starr Co. 3993
| Scientific Name | Ebenopsis ebano (Pithecellobium flexicaule) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | EBEB |
| Common Name | Texas Ebony | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 565147 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Sandy soils in scrub areas and low woods of the Rio Grande Valley and Gulf Coastal Plain. Plant: Small trees or shrubs 13 to 20 ft. tall, usually, sometimes up to 30 ft., with dense, rounded crown; dark brownish gray bark with vertical fissures, newer growth is lighter gray; branching stems with stout, short spines. Leaves: Evergreen, alternate, bipinnately compound leaves, 2 to 3 inches long, with 2 to 3 pairs of major leaflets (pinnae) and 3 to 6 pairs of minor oblong to rhombic-oblong leaflets, each 0.2 to 0.5 inches long and 0/1 to 0.4 inches wide with rounded tips. Inflorescence: Small, fragrant yellowish-white, fluffy flower heads in dense spikes less than 2 inches long. Bloom Period: April to July. Fruit: Legume pods are flat, 4 to 8 inches long, very thick, woody and heavy, dark brown when ripe, splitting open but remaining on the tree for a long time; reddish-brown bean-shaped seeds, about 5/8-inch long. References: US Forest Service, Virginia Tech Dendrology and Flora of North America; and Pithecellobium flexicaule in "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2026
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