Surinam Powderpuff
Calliandra surinamensis
- Found in India
- Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala & more
How to identify Surinam Powderpuff
Identify Surinam Powderpuff by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Pink-and-white bicolor powder-puff flowers.
- Confirm leaf type: Bipinnately compound.
- Confirm leaf shape: Feathery bipinnate leaflets.
- In India, compare location records such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Mimosaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Surinam Powderpuff.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Calliandra surinamensis
- Genus
- Calliandra
- Family
- Mimosaceae
- Found in India
- Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Bipinnately compoundrecordedThe leaf is divided twice — each 'leaflet' is itself a row of smaller leaflets, giving a fine, fern-like look.“This highly branched, spreading shrub features silky bipinnate leaves.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- Feathery bipinnate leafletsrecorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Surinam Powderpuff itself; the rest are typical of the Mimosaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Head
- Fruit
- Legume
Typical of the Mimosaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
About Surinam Powderpuff
Surinam Powderpuff (Calliandra surinamensis) is a species in the Mimosaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala and 5 other states.
Uses
In practice it is long used in traditional medicine, planted as an ornamental and used to hold soil and restore degraded ground. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Mimosaceae
Mimosa/Acacia family
Surinam Powderpuff belongs to the Mimosaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Mimosaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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