What is this tree on Lincoln Rd in South Beach, Florida? Finally took pictures!!?

Question

Right in the middle of Lincoln Rd mall is this wild looking tree. This is only one of two trees I have ever seen like this since moving to South Florida. It is big and has orchid-looking flowers hanging down and also has large fruit resembling an eggplant (but green). No body has ever been able to tell me what this is. Here are pictures of the tree. http://www.deancoleman.com/tree.htm Any ideas?

Answer 1

EDIT: I didn't notice your other pictures until a few minutes after my answer below. I just saw the first one--managed to get it from your description, mostly. Obviously it's with 100% certainty a sausage tree. These are really amazing trees.

EDIT 2: Here's a picture of the green immature fruit:

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/FACULTY/CARR/images/kig_afr_2656.jpg



I think it might be a sausage tree--Kigelia africana. I understand it's pretty widespread throughout Africa. We have a handful of them in Los Angeles. There is one at the L.A. arboretum, one at UCLA, and one at the Huntington. The flowers are pollinated by bats. They, and the fruits, hang down on long cords. I've never seen immature fruits, so I don't know if they are green. The mature fruits are tan. By the way, if you want to crack the fruit open (this may be difficult...) the seeds will germinate readily. If you want to check what the leaves look like, look at the third picture full scale (there are other trees adjacent, so look up above the fruits).

A couple photos (the flowers are from the Huntington):

http://www.huntingtonbotanical.org/WhatsInBloom/oct06/oct06-Thumbnails/113.jpg
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/sausage_tree.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Kigelia_africana_in_Murchison_Falls_National_Park.jpg


I understand that the fruit is an ingredient in many African beers.

p.s. In case anyone is wondering, these are zone 10 and higher trees.

Answer 2

Ding Ding Ding...Mark got it.

Answer 3

Is it a mango tree?