Ceratonia siliqua.L   

            The Scientific name of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) The carob is also known as locust bean or St. John’s bread . The genus Ceratonia belongs to the family Leguminosae (syn. Fabaceae). The tree grows as an evergreen shrub or tree up to 10m High with a semi spherical crown & thick trunk, rough brown bark & sturdy branches. Leaves are 10-20 cm long, alternate, Leaflets are 3-7 cm long ovate to elliptic in 4-10 normally opposite pairs. Dark green & shiny above, pale green beneath. The leaves have a thick upper epidermis; the stomata are present only in the lower epidermis, arranged in clusters.

            Flowers are most often red in colour, small with large amounts on spurs off other than new wood, including the trunk.

3 main flower types. Male flower has disk with 5 stamens.  Female flower has 5-8mm Pistil on a disk with undeveloped stamens. Hermaphrodite flowers are a combination of both having 5 stamens along with a central pistil.   Flowering is at best complex, evident on some trees baring male, female & hermaphrodite flowers on the same tree. Age has also shown to play a role in the display of sex with hermaphrodites leaning to more Pistil development as season progresses.