Leucaena leucocephala

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Leucaena
Species: L.leucocephala
Scientific Name: Leucaena leucocephala(Lam.) de Wit.

Common names
English : Pardeshi Baval, Liso-Baval, Vilayati Baval, Wild Tamarind, White Babool, Wild tamarind, Leucaena, Lead tree.
Hindi: Safed babool, subabūl.
Kannada: Chiguru, subabūl.
Marathi: Su-babul.

Discription

1. Habit and Habitat: A tall, evergreen tree.The specific name is derived from the Greek words λευκό, meaning “white”, and κέφαλος, meaning “head,” referring to its flowers.
2. Distribution: Wild Tamarind is a low scrubby tree of tropical and subtropical North America having white flowers tinged with yellow resembling mimosa and long flattened pods.Leucaena is native to Guatemala and Mexico. It was introduced to the Philippines and South-East Asia in the 16th century, spread throughout the Asian Pacific region and reached Australia in the late 19th century.
3. Morphology:
   Leaf: : Bipinnate, pinnae 3-6 pairs, main rachis and those of the pinnae ending in a weak spine. Leaflets 10-15 pairs, somewhat distant, glaucous, glabrous or nearly so above, pubescent beneath.Leaves are like that of tamarind. It is a thornless shrubby bush or tree often only to 6-8ft but occasionally to 30-60ft.
   Inflorescence: Dense globose heads with whitish petals.
   Flowers: The specific name ‘leucocephala’ comes from ‘leu’, meaning white, and ‘cephala’, meaning head, referring to the flowers.Flower heads 12-21 mm in diameter, 100-180 flowers per head, in groups of 2-6 in leaf axils, arising on actively growing young shoots, flowers white or pale cream-white.The flowers of Leucaena leucocephala are grouped in compact globose heads with 2-2.5 cm long peduncles.The calyx-tube is campanulate, 5-lobed, 2.5 mm long and 1 mm across. The calyx is white and light green-coloured. The corolla is composed of 5 cream-coloured and glabrous petals. The petals are linear-oblong, 4 mm long and 0.5 mm wide.
   Androecium: The androecium is composed of 10 stamens. The filaments are 5 mm long.
   Gynoecium: The style is 6 mm long with a simple stigma at the tip.The flowers are fragrant.
   Fruit: Pods flat, glabrous, linear-oblong, strap-shaped, pale to dark-brown.
   Seeds: Seeds hard, dark brown with a hard, shining testa, 6.7-9.6 mm long, 4-6.3 mm wide, aligned transversely in pod.The seeds are dispersed by birds and rodents. Seed may also be spread via cattle manure. Lead tree also produces multiple new shoots when cut back. Seed germination and vegetative regeneration from basal shoots will also occur following a fire.
   Flowering and Fruiting time: July-October.
4. Propagation: By seed.
5. Importance:
   a.It is common in gardens and on agricultural field edges.
   b.The wood is used for handles for agricultural implements.
   c.The plant is said to be injurious to animals.
   d.It is said to cause the hair to drop out from the tails and manes of horses and to produce complete baldness in pigs.
   e.The legume provides an excellent source of high-protein cattle fodder. However, the fodder contains mimosine, a toxic amino acid. Horses and donkeys which are fed it lose loose hair.Leucaena is valuable for its wood, which is used to make good quality charcoal, small furniture and paper pulp. Its young shoots, young leaves and seeds may be used as a vegetable in human nutrition. Seeds can also be used as a substitute of coffee or as pieces of jewellery.
6. Location: Throughout college campus.