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Leucaena leucocephala

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Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit

Family Name: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Synonyms: Acacia glauca, Leucaena latisiliqua, Mimosa leucocephala, Leucaena glabrata, Leucaena glauca
Common Name: Lead Tree, Reuse Wattel, White Popinac, Horse Tamarind, Wild Tamarind, Leucaena, Jumbie Bean, Jumbay, Ipil-ipil, Petai Jawa, 银合欢, 臭豆

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Tree (Small (6m-15m), Shrubby (1m-5m)), Shrub
Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Plant Shape Shrubby
Maximum Height 2 m to 6 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Mexico, Belize, Guatemala
Native Habitat Terrestrial (Secondary Rainforest, Coastal Forest, Riverine, Grassland / Savannah/ Scrubland, Disturbed Area / Open Ground)
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form Large leguminous thornless shrub or small scrubby tree, forming dense stands with bushy crowns up to 6m height. Relatively short-lived, with lifespan of 20-40 years.
Trunk Bark greyish with prominent lenticels.
Foliage Bipinnately-compound leaves with small grey-green leaflets, pungent when crushed.
Flowers White and filamentous, produced in dense globular heads (1-2 cm across), resembling those of Mimosa.
Fruit Explosive capsules, flat and thin, up to 20cm long by 2cm wide, ripening from green to brown, each containing 15-25 shiny brown seeds.
Habitat Found in disturbed and degraded sites like scrubland and grassland, limestone areas, along rivers and coasts, as well as within agricultural land.
Cultivation Hardy species with deep root system, drought-tolerant when established. Prefers deep fertile clay soils, but fixes its own nitrogen and tolerant of poor soils with high aluminum and low iron and phosphorus content. Performs poorly in acidic soils, unless supplemented with calcium, sulphur and molybedum minerals. Performs best in pH-neutral to alkaline soils. May need to be pruned regularly to control size and spread. Susceptible to infestation by Heteropsylla cubana psyllids - small aphid-like sucking insect-pests, which tend to create severe outbreaks at beginning and end of rainy seasons. Easily propagated by seeds -- before sowing, scarify hard waxy testa (seed coat) or place seeds in boiling water for 48 hours / until they absortb water; or use cuttings, which root easily.
Etymology Genus epithet 'Leucaena' derived from Greek 'leukos' (white), a reference to the white inflorescences of the plant. Species epithet 'leucocephalus' means 'white-headed', again alluding to the flower inflorescences.
Ethnobotanical Uses Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits, Edible Leaves, Edible Seeds
Food (Fruit or Vegetable) (Herb or Spice)
Others: Medicinal: Leaf paste applied to poisonous stings and bites in Myanmar. Seeds used to treat diabetes and expel intestinal worms. Roasted seeds used as emollient and to increase menstrual flow. Decoction of bark and roots used as contraceptive or for inducing abortion in Latin America. Food: Young leaves and seedpods high in protein and Vitamin A, eaten as vegetable. Seeds used as bean substitute in tempeh (traditional bean cake), reported to be delicious. Seeds also used as coffee bean substitute. Ripe seeds sometimes eaten parched like popcorn. However, plant contains mimosine, a dilapitory amino acid that is toxic to non-ruminant vetebrates when consumed in excess -- known to cause hair loss from manes and tails of horses. Heating leaves or adding iron sulphate salts reportedly degrades the mimosine or reduces its toxicity. Products: Wood used as firewood and charcoal. Also used to make small objects like fish-traps. Bark yields a brown dye. Exuded gum used in Asia as replacement for gum arabic. Seeds used as beads on bags or strung into necklaces in tourist trade in West Indies. Agronomy: Used as cover crop and green manure/ mulch in plantations to improve nitrogen content in soils. Also used as easily-digestible fodder for livestock (esp. cattle), although it has toxic effects on non-ruminants.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Fruits, Ornamental Seeds
Landscape Uses Coastal, General, Phytoremediation
Thematic Landscaping Economic Garden, Naturalistic Garden
Usage Hazard - Cons Invasive / Potentially Invasive, Low Crown / Clearance
Plant & Rootzone Preference or Tolerance Remarks pH 5.5 - 8.5

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna Bird-Attracting
Pollination Method(s) Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Butterfly, Moth), Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp))
Seed or Spore Dispersal Abiotic (Explosive Dehiscence)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water, Little Water
Plant Growth Rate Fast
Rootzone Tolerance Drought Tolerant, Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Poor Infertile Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Alkaline high pH Soils
Maintenance Requirements Moderate
Diseases Main insect pest is the psyllid Heteropsylla cubana -- a small aphid-like sucking insect that causes periodic periodic outbreaks, esp. at at start and end of wet season in tropics.
Propagation Method Seed, Stem Cutting

Foliar

Foliage Retention Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s) Smooth, Thin
Foliar Type Compound (Even-Pinnate)
Foliar Venation Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin Entire
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio 4.0 (Tree - Dense Canopy)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Non Palm) Woody
Mature Bark Texture Lenticellate
Stem Type & Modification Woody
Root Type Underground (Tap Root, Fibrous Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s) White
Inflorescence Type Head / Capitulum
Flowering Period Free-Flowering
Flowering Habit Polycarpic
Inflorescence Size Remarks White to pinkish

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s) Brown
Fruit Classification Simple Fruit
Fruit Type Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Legume / Pod

References

References V. Sakthivel and M. Vivekanandan. . Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants. 15. 2. 175-180

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Master ID 29162
Species ID 3471
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 03 August 2022.
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