Gleditsia

/ɡlɛˈdɪtʃə/ noun

Definition

A genus of thorny trees native to the Americas and Asia, commonly known as honey locusts, characterized by compound leaves and long seed pods.

Etymology

Named after Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch, an 18th-century German botanist, using the Latinized naming convention where plant genera are often named after naturalists and scholars.

Kelly Says

Gleditsia trees were named to honor a botanist, but they're now invasive in some places—it's ironic that species named after scientists can become ecological problems when transplanted.

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