Condalia mexicana

Johnston 1962, Christie et al. 2006

Common Name: Mexican bluewood Duration: Unknown Nativity: None Lifeform: Unknown General: Shrubs 1-3 m tall, primary branches not thorn-tipped, secondaries thorn-tipped, branches canescent-hispidulous, grayish-brown; internodes 1-3 mm long. Leaves: Alternate or in fascicles of 2 - 5 at the short shoots; petioles 0.8 - 1.4 mm, blades obovate, 7 - 10 mm long, 2.5 - 4 mm wide, apex acute or sometimes rounded or emarginate, somewhat mucronate, basally cuneate, margins entire; stipules subulate, ca 1 mm long, densely antrorsely hispid. Flowers: Solitary or in axillary fascicles of 2 -3; pedicels 0.5-1 mm long; sepals deltoid 1-1.5 mm long, purplish-brown to pale olive-green, villous outside; petals absent; flowering July - September. Fruits: Globose, dark blue -black and juicy, 7 mm long and 5 mm thick Ecology: Chihuahuan scrub, plains of Sonora and desert grasslands; ca. 2000-3000 ft (610 - 914 m). Distribution: extreme se AZ, NM and south to c MEX. Notes: Taxonomic discrepancies exist in this group and this taxon was previously combined with C. correlii. When considering separate species the following can be considered. Two collections have been made in se AZ indicating the rarity of C. mexicana in the US. The primary distribution is north to central Mexico. Distinguished from C. warnockii by having leaves 7 - 10 mm (2-4mm in warnockii) with inconspicuous veins and from warnockii and globosa by having short pedicels, 0.5-1 mm or absent. Distinguished from C correllii by having leaves brownish above and paler below and veins undetectable below whereas in correllii the leaves are 4-6 mm broad and upper surface pale green, surfaces concolorous and veins detectable below. These are admittedly weak characters thus the combination of the two in past treatments. Ethnobotany: Various species have been utilized for their edible berries by various tribes in the region but the uses of this species are unknown. Etymology: Condalia is named after Antonio Condal, and 18th century Spanish physician and botanist. Mexicana refers to Mexico, where the species is most common and was first collected. Synonyms: None Editor: FSCoburn 2014