Mesquite refers to plants in the genera Neltuma and Strombocarpa, comprising more than 50 species of spiny, deep-rooted leguminous shrubs and small trees native to dry regions of the Americas; these genera were included within a broader view of the genus Prosopis until 2022, when Prosopis was restricted to a few Old World species. Mesquites have extremely long taproots that reach water far underground, making them highly drought-tolerant, and as legumes they are among the few sources of fixed nitrogen in desert habitats. Their fruits, called mesquite pods, are dry and often sweet, edible to both humans and livestock, and served for generations as a staple food for indigenous peoples in the deserts of North America.
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