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Re: Need Pithocelobium dulce info

Two species of Pithecellobium are grown in South Texas USDA Zone 9 -- P. 
ebano (syn P.flexicaule), known as Ebony or Ebano, and P.pallens, known 
as Tenaza or Huajillo.  Both are endemic to the semi-arid Tamaulipan 
plain chapparral, occur on alluvial soils and are extremely drought 
tolerant however both will accept and grow rapidly with more water and 
grow well near water.  Both will take freezing to about 20 degrees F. 
without damage.  These are dense, spiny (usually small) trees, used in 
many ways.  Wonderful bird cover.  Ebony beans are eaten from boiled 
green pods as a snack food. The wood will sink in water.  One could write 
a book about Ebony.  P. dulce looks interesting. Both the genus and 
species names imply sweetness. Prof. Maximino Martinez published a large 
catalogue of Mexican Plants in the 1960s which lists about 40 common 
names (an unusually large number for the Prof.'s catalogue) for P.dulce 
collected from many states in Mexico.  He noted the plant is common 
throughout Mexican warmer climates and mentions both southern states 
(Guerrero) and northern states (Tamaulipas).  A common name Ms. Pyle 
gave, "Guamache" is one of about ten variants of the Aztec language name 
for the plant, "Cuamochitl", including Guau-mochitli, Huamuchil, 
Cuamuche, Cuamuchil, etc.  Prof. says the pulp is edible (fruto vaina 
incorvada, rojiza, con las semillas negras rodeadas de un arila rojo o 
blanco, comestible).  I asked a Mexican expatriate raised on several 
native plant foods if she knew the plant and she did not.  Ms. Pyle's 
other common names (Manila Tamarind and Madras Thorn) suggest the plant 
has traveled quite far in the tropics and with so many names in Mexico it 
must be popular; this implies that because the plant is not (well) known 
here, it might not take freezing temperatures.
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