Author: (Jacq.) Willd.
Morphological description
Small tree or shrub , unarmed (coriaria Caesalp wind 431661). Stipules minute, subulate.
Leaves often imparibipinnate, with 4–8 pairs of pinnae , often with additional terminal one. Leaflets 15–28 pairs per pinna, subsessile, oblong, 4–9 by 1–3.5 mm, rounded to truncate at the apex, obliquely subcordate at the base, glabrous (coriaria Caesalp lf/lfl FT19 ).
Inflorescence a short, almost sessile condensed racemes, terminal and axillary, 2–6 cm long; pedicels 2–4 mm.
Flowers fragrant. Hypanthium 1–2 mm deep. Sepals 3–4 mm long. Petals yellow or cream, 3–6 mm long.
Pods oblong to ovate, 3–6 by 1.5.–3 cm, inflated, often becoming twisted or contorted, 1–10-seeded; valves black, thick, becoming ¾brous-pulpy.
Distribution
Antilles, Mexico, S America and introduced into U.S.A. and Old World tropics.
Uses
Cultivated as an ornamental. The pods are rich in tannin and are (were?) used in the tanning industry ( ‘divi-divi ’). See Boonkerd (et al. 1991: 57) .