Guaiacum Angustifolium (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Guaiacum angustifolium is a species of flowering plant in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. Common names include Texas Guaiacum, Texas Lignum-vitae, Soapbush and Guayacn. It is native to southern and western Texas in the United States and northern Mexico. Texas Lignum-vitae is a many branched shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 7 m (23 ft). This evergreen has a dense canopy and short lateral branches. Leaves are 1-3 cm (0.39-1.2 in) long, opposite and pinnately compound, with four to eight pairs of leaflets. The dark green, leathery, linear to linear-spatulate leaflets are 5-16 mm (0.20-0.63 in) long and 2-3 mm (0.079-0.12 in) wide. Leaflets fold themselves at night and when exposed to hot sunlight. The small blue to purple flowers are 12-22 mm (0.47-0.87 in) in diameter. They have five sepals, five petals around 1 cm (0.39 in) in length, and ten stamens. The blooming period lasts from March until September. The fruit is a flat, leathery capsule 1-2 cm (0.39-0.79 in) in diameter with one to two lobes, sometimes as many as four. Dehiscent locules contain a single shiny, bean-like seed that is usually bright red.