"aplomado" wrote in message
ups.com...

Greetings from Veracruz:
I am wondering if some one can help me id this tree. The branches have
thorns as well.
here are three photos

http://i1.tinypic.com/zjcrad.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/zjcrux.jpg

http://i3.tinypic.com/zjctol.jpg

It's a mimosoid legume; I suspect it's very likely a _Pithecellobium_
species, since it looks quite a bit like online photos of
_Pithecellobium dulce_, which similarly has red pods with arillate
seeds and bipinnate leaves with just two leaflets that are in turn
composed of just two pinnules.

http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/i...bium_dulce.htm
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/16715/
http://v1.winrock.org/forestry/factp...h/p_dulce.html

However, P. dulce has small rounded heads of flowers, whereas yours
appears to have its flowers in much longer clusters.

http://fm1.fieldmuseum.org/vrrc/?pag... 0152f5aa8984

shows a dried specimen of _Pithecellobium lanceolatum_ with similar
leaves and similar elongated flower spikes to yours. Perhaps this is
the same species, or a close relative? Compare also:

http://www.sagarpa.gob.mx/dlg/michoa...es.html#espino

Does anyone know if this tree is native to the America's?

Probably. There are many native Pithecellobium species, and many other
related genera also native. But some can be weedy and invasive outside
their native ranges.

Thanks so much for your help. This tree currently holds the nest of an
Aplomado falcon in a recycled Northern Caracara nest.
Aplomado falcon
http://i3.tinypic.com/zjdpjp.jpg

female Aplomado falcon on the nest.
http://i3.tinypic.com/zjdslt.jpg

Hope this helps.