Jakaranda (loistojakaranda) – Jacaranda mimosifolia

Bark is pale brown and furrowed, transverse cracks dividing the ridges between the furrows into long, narrow scales. Bole is almost always short and malformed, and up to 40-50 cm in diameter. Leaves are opposite, compound, feathery, petiolate, up to 45 cm, consisting of up to 30 pairs of pinnae bearing small, pointed leaflets. The terminal leaflet of each pinna is unpaired and longer than other leaflets. Flowers are in terminal, upright or pendulous, pyramidal shaped, loosely formed panicles, usually on the bare tree before leaf growth. Calyx is small, 5-lobed. Corolla is tubular, striking blue-violet, 5-lobed, up to 5 cm long. Fruit is a rounded woody capsule to 7 cm across with a wavy edge, brown-black when mature, splitting on the tree to set free many light-winged brown seeds. Capsules may hang on the tree for up to 2 years.