Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, Taxon 10 (1961)

Latin for 'white head', referring to the flowers.

Synonyms
Acacia frondosa Willd.
Acacia glauca (L.) Willd.
Acacia leucocephala (Lam.) Link
Acacia leucophala Link
Leucaena glabra Benth.
Leucaena glauca (L.) Benth.
Mimosa glauca L.
Mimosa glauca Koenig ex Roxb.
Mimosa leucocephala Lam.
Mimosa leucophala Lam.

Description
Shrub to understorey tree up to 11 m tall and 17 cm dbh. Stipules dropped early. Leaves alternate, compound, leaflets opposite, penni- to tripli-veined, glabrous, small. Flowers ca. 2.5 mm diameter, white, protruding stamens, flowers placed in globose umbell. Fruits ca. 141 mm long, green-brown-black, strongly flattened, explosively dehiscing pods.

Ecology
In open disturbed vegetations and regrowth, also cultivated up to 1500 m altitude. Usually near rivers, but also along roads and ridges on sandy soils.

Uses
Used as shade crop and reforestation. Wood used for paper pulp, fuel and charcoal. The bark (pounded) is used against fungal infections and as a brown dye for fishing nets. Also used as cattle fodder. Leaves, flowers and fruits are used in cooking. Seeds can be used as substitute for coffee.

Distribution
Originally from tropical Americas, but currently pan-tropical. In Borneo collected in Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and East-Kalimantan.

Local names
Borneo: Tibak, Ipil-ipil.