mesquite

Mesquite, city, United States

Mesquite (məskēt`), city (1990 pop. 101,484), Dallas co., N Tex., a suburb of Dallas; inc. 1887. Manufacturing includes industrial power supplies, building materials, and medical equipment. The city's population increased by more than 50% between 1980 and 1990, and it continues to be one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities. An annual rodeo is held there every October.

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mesquite, in botany

mesquite (mĭskēt`, mĕs`kēt), any plant of the genus Prosopis, leguminous spiny trees or shrubs of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), native to tropical and subtropical regions. The seed pods of P. juliflora, a common mesquite, contain a sweet pulp eaten by numerous mammals, including domestic livestock. The mesquite still provides a staple food for many people in Mexico, who grind the bean pod into meal for bread and also use it to make a fermented beverage. The flowers are an excellent honey source. The stems yield a gum somewhat like gum arabic; the very durable wood is valued for fence posts and fuel. The charcoal of the wood is used for grilling foods. Mesquites, which grow in barren sites unsuited to most crops, are good water indicators; their roots may penetrate 50 to 60 ft (15–18 m) into the earth to find moisture. Mesquites are a characteristic part of the vegetation in arid western regions of the Americas (e.g., the chaparral of the SW United States). Mesquite is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae.

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mesquite

Any of the spiny, deep-rooted shrubs or small trees that make up the genus Prosopis of the pea family (see legume). Mesquites form extensive thickets in areas from South America to the southwestern U.S. Two races occur: one of tall trees (50 ft [15 m]), the other low and far-reaching, called running mesquite. Water-seeking roots grow as deep as 70 ft (20 m). Stems bear compound olive-green to white hairy leaves, then dense, cream-coloured catkins of flowers, followed by clusters of long, narrow, pale yellow beans. In warmer parts of the U.S., mesquites are considered pests and are eradicated. Cattle eat the beans, which contain a sweet pulp. The wood, formerly used in railroad ties, now has value only for unusual furniture and trinkets and as aromatic firewood.