Leucaena

  • Authority

    Isley, Duane. 1973. Leguminosae of the United States: I. Subfamily. Mimosoideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (1): 1-152.

  • Family

    Mimosaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Leucaena

  • Description

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    Genus Description - Unarmed shrubs or trees. Leaves bipinnate; gland solitary, between or just below lowest pinnae, or further glands present on rachis; pinnae and leaflets few or numerous, the latter with or without secondary nervation. Stipules inconspicuous or deciduous. Inflorescences of yellowish-white to yellow heads, fasciculate or solitary from leaf axils, or terminally racemose-fasciculate. Calyx small, tubular-campanulate, shortly dentate; petals separate. Stamens 10, separate. Ovary stipitate. Legume shortly stipitate, dehiscent, oblong, straight, compressed, not septate; valves membranous to usually coriaceous, often succulent when immature. Seeds transverse to oblique.

  • Discussion

    Caudoleucaena Britt. & Rose CBN x = 13, 14(?). Counts on only 2 species seen. Literature: Britton & Rose (1928), Isely (1970b). Our woody mimosoid genera with 10 or fewer stamens are Mimosa, Prosopis, Adenanthera, and Leucaena. The first two of these are usually armed; Adenanthera has large leaves whose leaflets are 2-3.5 cm, and flowers in racemes; Leucaena is unarmed with leaflets exceptionally to 2 cm, and flowers in heads.

  • Distribution

    Perhaps 30 species of American tropics and the South Pacific. Ours of Florida and Texas.

    Oceania|