Leucaena esculenta

Botanical Description

Leucaena esculenta is an evergreen or deciduous shrub or tree with an open, spreading, rounded crown; it can grow from 6 - 15 metres tall. The plant is typically multi-stemmed when young, older trees developing a short clear bole that can be 5 metres long and 20 - 70cm in diameter with a thick, corky bark[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 411 Title Trees and Shrubs of Mexico Publication Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23 Author Standley P.C. Publisher Smithsonian Institution; Washington Year 1926 ISBN Description Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The tree is commonly harvested from the wild, protected and encouraged in the wild, and extensively cultivated as a food crop in Mexico. It provides edible seeds, whilst its leaves, flowerbuds and seedpods are the traditional green food of the indigenous peoples. The seeds etc are sold in local markets in Mexico[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. ]. The tree also has local medicinal uses, yields a useful timber and is often grown to provide shade in coffee plantations. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. Leucaena esculenta is widely distributed and extremely abundant both in natural populations and in indigenous cultivation. It is often the commonest tree in towns and villages in parts of Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero in Mexico. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' 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. ].