Calliandra: Family, subfamily, genus, species

Wikipedia says there are 140 species native of tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas.

Family is Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae.

Calliandra is all over Guatemala

We have found Calliandra

In flat areas of El Peten
Near Tecpan (we believe this is Calliandra grandiflora)
Km 20 through 28, CA9, Guatemala
Highway between Mataquescuintla (driving from Jutiapa and Jalapa)
In gardens of many hotels.
Village of Cahabon, Alta Verapaz

There are Calliandra plants growing in a dozen other ecosystems but we do not always have time to stop.

Photography of Calliandra Chisec, Towards to Petén.

Calliandra is a spice

Calliandra anomala, red power puff, is a plant with powerful chemicals (though not as bad as palo de pito, Erythrina species). I will go out on a limb and estimate this species has counterparts in Guatemala with similar effects.

Calliandra anomala is listed as a known spice for flavoring cacao.

Photography of Calliandra, Pension Monja Blanca, Cobán.

Calliandra is a medicinal plant

While we were photographing a Calliandra species in Cahabon, Alta Verapz, Guatemala a man from the local village said he put parts of the plant under the pillows of his children when they were not sleeping properly.

Many people in Guatemala do the same with parts of flor de pito, Erythrina species, though Pito is much more common, and has more dangerous chemicals in different parts of the plant.