**Thornless honey-locust

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Typical fruit of Gleditsia triacanthos species from another tree;
form inermis often lacks fruits.

**Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis
THORNLESS HONEY-LOCUST

Fabaceae
E. North America

Location: map coordinates K-27 (near northeast corner of Grossley Hall), N 39°11'11'' W 75°32'31''

Planting history: presently unknown.

Description:
  • deciduous tree
  • etymology: Gleditsia from Robert Gleditsch (d. 1786), German botanist and physician; triacanthos = 3-thorned; inermis = unarmed, spineless
  • this ornamental form, inermis, which apparently occurred naturally, is thornless (the species Gleditsia triacanthos normally has large thorns which may be single or branched)
  • leaves alternate; pinnately (feather) compound, once- or twice-compound
  • flowers whitish; male and female in separate clusters on same tree
  • fruits: the species has long, narrow, woody, dark brown legumes (pods); this form (inermis) often lacks fruits (as well as thorns)
  • wood strong, heavy, durable
  • may not fix nitrogen, unlike most other legumes; does not appear to have root nodules
  • native to north-central USA

**Adventive species (not native to Delaware, but native to N. America and now growing wild in DE). Species listed as Invasive in Delaware


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