Title: Mesquite - Wikipedia
Headings: Mesquite
Mesquite
Contents
History
Etymology
Habitat
Uses
As an introduced and invasive species
Control strategies
Species
Gallery
See also
References
External links

Content: One theory is that the loss of the megafauna allowed Prosopis spp. to use their fruit pods to attract other organisms to spread their seeds; then, with the introduction of livestock, they were able to spread into grasslands. Another is that Prosopis spp. had always been present in grasslands, but recurring fires had delayed plant and seed development before the emergence of livestock and grazing. Etymology
The English word mesquite is borrowed from the Spanish word mezquite, which in turn was borrowed from the Nāhuatl term mizquitl. Habitat
Mesquites grow as a small shrub in shallow soil or as tall as 50 feet (15 m) in deep soil with adequate moisture, and forms a rounded canopy nearly as wide. They may have one or multiple trunks with a multitude of branches. They have bipinnate leaflets of a light green to blue hue that cast a light to deep shade, depending on the species. Spikes of flowers form in spring and summer that form a flat pod of beans 2 to 6 inches (51 to 152 mm) long.