Leucaena salvadorensis

Botanical Description

Leucaena salvadorensis is a semi-deciduous tree with a narrow, open crown; usually growing 10 - 15 metres tall, but occasionally to 20 metres. The bole is usually 20 - 50cm in diameter, but can reach 50 - 100cm in some older trees[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. , 1518 Title Leucaena A Genetic Resources Handbook Publication Tropical Forestry Papers No. 37 Author Hughes C.E. Website https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/leucaena/ Publisher Oxford Forestry Institute; Oxford, UK Year 1998 ISBN 0 85074 145 9 Description An excellent guide to the genus, giving detailed information on the various species ]. Trees are typically branchy from low down when young but may have a short, clear bole up to 5 metres tall when older[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. They can retain some leaves when the dry season is short, but generally lose them all when the season is longer[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. Considered one of the best species in the genus for wood production, the tree is commonly harvested from the wild and also sometimes cultivatedfor its wood. It is sometimes planted for erosion control. Leucaena salvadorensis occupies a limited distribution and is never locally abundant. Forest cover has been reduced to scattered small remnants throughout its distribution. As a result it is now rare in many parts of its range. However, the obvious conservation threat to this species is mitigated by deliberate retention, protection and management of trees in traditional agroforestry systems by farmers who use the wood[ 1518 Title Leucaena A Genetic Resources Handbook Publication Tropical Forestry Papers No. 37 Author Hughes C.E. Website https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/leucaena/ Publisher Oxford Forestry Institute; Oxford, UK Year 1998 ISBN 0 85074 145 9 Description An excellent guide to the genus, giving detailed information on the various species ]. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].