| Peltogyne | |
|---|---|
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| Illustration of Peltogyne paniculata flowers | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Detarioideae |
| Tribe: | Detarieae |
| Genus: | Peltogyne Vogel |
| Species | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Peltogyne, commonly known as purpleheart, violet wood, amaranth and other local names (often referencing the colour of the wood) is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae; native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America; from Guerrero, Mexico, through Central America, and as far as south-eastern Brazil.[2]
They are medium-sized to large trees growing to 30–50 m (100–160 ft) tall, with trunk diameters of up to 1.5 m (5 ft). The leaves are alternate, divided into a symmetrical pair of large leaflets 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 2–4 cm (1–2 in) broad. The flowers are small, with five white petals, produced in panicles. The fruit is a pod containing a single seed. The timber is desirable, but difficult to work.
- ^ R. C. Barneby (1983). "(711)-(712) Proposals to conserve Plathymenia against Echyrospermum and Peltogyne against Orectospermum (Leguminosae)". Taxon. 32 (3): 488–490. doi:10.2307/1221525. JSTOR 1221525.
- ^ Sotuyo Vázquez, Jeny Solange (2014). "El palo morado (Peltogyne mexicana), una leguminosa maderable con futuro incierto y parientes lejanos". Revista Digital Universitaria (in Spanish). 15 (4). Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. ISSN 1607-6079.