wrote...
While birding in West Central Florida today I found an unusual looking
tree with light grey bark, nearly empty branches and these peculiar brown
human-ear shaped "pods". Someone called them "monkeypods". I think the
"pods" were the only "vegetation" on the trees, which may have been empty
for the winter. Can anyone identify this tree for certain? I'm living in
Tampa Bay area of Florida. Thanks.

mel turner schreef
Sounds like _Enterolobium cyclocarpum_ or a close relative. Native
to Central America [presumably and exotic in Florida]. It becomes
leafless during the dry season in its native haunts.

http://www.winrock.org/forestry/fact...Enterolob.html

http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/Trial_Sp...Heteromyidae/L
iomy s_salvini_Home_Page/English_Text/E_cyclocarpum_adlt_Eng.html
http://www.fao.org/ag/aga/agap/frg/AFRIS/Data/240.HTM
http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds....casteTree.html

cheers

+ + +
Yes, a good estimate.
Unfortunately the "or a close relative" includes many tree species!

I dug out my The Trees of Florida by Gil Nelson, which claims to be
complete. It lists neither Samanea saman (known widely as "monkeypod") nor
Enterolobium cyclocarpum.

It does list 6 Acacia, 2 Albizia, 1 Lysiloma and 2 Pithecellobium species.
Perhaps worth noting is that the only species that has bark details is
Lysiloma latisiliquum ("with light grey or whitish bark") and that further
details include "flat pod, 6-10cm, 2-4cm wide, usually remaining on the tree
throughout the year". Might be worth a look?

Of course if it is a roadside tree, anything is possible.
PvR