the beginning of the 6th century AD after an El Niño event led to flooding, erosion and desertification. Ecologists consider the huarango important to the ecosystem of the desert area west of the Andes in southern Peru, because of its ability to bind moisture and counter erosion. Despite prohibitions by regional authorities, poor villagers continue to harvest the trees to make charcoal. Efforts are under way to reforest the area with huarangos. In the southwest of Ecuador, Prosopis pallida and Prosopis juliflora both display substantial genetic variability due to the (intraspecific) cross-pollination of their self-incompatible flowers which are typical of the genus Prosopis. As a result, trees of these species display a range of physical traits that lead to trees of one species resembling descriptions of the other, and the two species are often confused. To compound the difficulty in discerning the species of a given tree, these two species hybridise readily where their ranges overlap. In the semi-arid Zapotillo Canton of Ecuador, both thorn-bearing and thornless strains of Prosopis pallida exist with thorn-bearing trees being more common. It is the preferred tree of the local people for making charcoal and is sometimes also cut for firewood or fence posts. History The first specimen in Hawaii was planted from a seed brought by missionary Alexis Bachelot from the Palais-Royal Gardens in 1828. Photos References External links Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk P. pallida photo gallery Kiawe info sheet Habitat restoration and sustainable use of southern Peruvian dry forest: Huarango forest, project by Kew Gardens Invasive Species Remedy Prosopis pallida (mesquite) CABI Invasive Species Compendium pallida Plants described in 1823 Trees of Bolivia Trees of Colombia Trees of Ecuador Trees of Peru Hawaiian cuisine Fodder Taxa named by Aimé Bonpland Taxa named by Alexander von Humboldt