EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Honey Locust Tree

February 15, 2023

Dale_epod_thorn_image1 (015)

Dale_epod_thorns_image0 (02C)

Photographer: Dale Hugo

Summary Author: Dale Hugo

Shown above is a honey locust tree ( Gleditsia triacanthos), that I
photographed this past September in Arlington Height, Illinois.
Sometimes referred to as the thorny locust, this deciduous tree in the
family Fabaceae, is indigenous to central North America. It’s often
found in the moist soil of river valleys. In the Mid-West and central
plains of the U.S. they were on occasion planted as windbreaks to
help stabilize soil.

The thorns of the honey locust are fierce (bottom photo). They tend to
grow in pairs along the tree’s lower branches and trunk. It’s thought
that the long, sharp thorns evolved to protect the tree from the
grazing megafauna that flourished during the last ice age.


Arlington Heights, Illinois Coordinates: 42.0884, -87.9806


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Plant Links

* Discover Life
* Tree Encyclopedia
* What are Phytoplankton?
* Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
* USDA Plants Database
* University of Texas Native Plant Database
* Plants in Motion
* What Tree is It?

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Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

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