Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.

  • Authority

    Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.

  • Description

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    Species Description - A smooth-barked, rapid growing, spreading tree to 10 m and spreading much wider. Leafstalk 2-4 cm, strigose, with pubescent spheroid projections between pinnae pairs; pinnae 11-20(-25) pairs; leaflets 10-25 pairs, subpetiolulate, usually obliquely attached, elliptic to shortly oblong, 5-10(-15) mm, 2.5-3.4 r, slightly revolute, initially puberulent, lighter below than above, midvein evident. Stipules often evident, pinnately compound with 4-5 segments. Flowers in large lateral to subterminal corymbs variable in mass color from scarlet to orange. Pedicels 5-8 cm, jointed at apex; buds cylindric, ca 2 cm; sepals 2-2.5(-3) cm, subequal, red within, recurving; corolla 8-10 cm diam, scarlet and yellow, somewhat irregular; petals 4-7 cm, obovate, long-clawed, standard smallest, yellow-white and scarlet, striped, the others scarlet except for claw, all changing color with age; filaments subequal to petals, scarlet. Legume persistent, indehiscent on tree, oblong, flat, 3-6 dm long, 4-6.5 cm wide; valves woody, ultimately separating on the ground. Seeds numerous.

  • Discussion

    Poinciana regia Bojer ex Hooker (1829) CN n = 14 (Tixier, 1965; as Poinciana regia); 2n = 28 (Jacob, 1940; as Poinciana regia). This is a common ornamental in the southern half of Florida. When in full bloom it is one of the more dazzling of all flowering trees. Menninger (1958) says “Most spectacular of all. . . .” and Corner (1952) “This tree is one of the joys of creation.” However, in many towns it is so abundant that familiarity renders it mundane. Much of the year it is inevident, even unattractive. During the winter, it is leafless and scraggly and the foliage comes out later in the spring than that of many other trees. Masses of the large woody pods often litter the ground. Delonix regia is commonly seen as a fragile, short-lived, small to medium tree. But massive specimens in Miami dispel this notion, an example being a picturesque tree by the former Fairchild residence, Coconut Grove, Miami. It is perhaps 80-100 feet in spread with a dbh of ca .8 m. Its lower recurving, spreading branches rest upon the ground and then bend back upwards. Bailey (1949) reports Delonix from California and Mattoon (1958) quotes a supply source in Texas. I have seen neither the plant nor material from either of these states. In addition to the chromosome counts tabulated, Poucques (1945) has reported 2n = 24. This count, drawn from root tip sections, is probably inaccurate.

  • Distribution

    Peninsular Florida. Cult, ornamental, slightly established. May-June (-Aug.). Royal Poinciana, Flame tree, Flamboyant, Peacock flower. Madagascar, widely planted in warm regions.

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