- Gliricidia sepium
Taxobox
name = "Gliricidia sepium"
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Fabales
familia =Fabaceae
subfamilia =Faboideae
genus = "Gliricidia "
species = "G. sepium"
binomial = "Gliricidia sepium"
binomial_authority = (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp."Gliricidia sepium", often simply referred to as Gliricidia (common names: "Mata Raton"; "Cacao de nance" or "cacahnanance" in
Honduras ; "Kakawate" in thePhilippines , "Madre Cacao" in the Philippines andGuatemala ; and "Madriado" inHonduras ), is a a medium size leguminous tree belonging to the familyFabaceae . It is considered as the second most importance multi-purpose legume tree, beaten only by "Leucaena leucocephala ". [cite book|last=Rani Batish|first=Daizy|title=Ecological Basis of Agroforestry|publisher=CRC Press|date=2007|pages=44|isbn=1420043277|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HsDrg48t4TkC&pg=PA44&dq=Gliricidia+sepium&lr=&sig=ACfU3U3ssAXprlBZ1kj3J9RsIqZgV4WNUA#PPA44,M1|accessdate=2008-09-26]Description
"Gliricidia sepium" is a medium-sized tree and can grow to from 10 to 12 meters high. The bark is smooth and its color can range from a whitish gray to deep red-brown. It has composite leaves that can be 30 cm long. Each leaf is composed of leaflets that are about 2 to 7 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide. The flowers are located on the end of branches that has no leaves. These flowers have a bright pink to lilac color that is tinged with white. A pale yellow spot is usually at the flower's base. The tree's fruit is a pod which is about 10 to 15 cm in length. It is green when unripe and becomes yellow-brown when it reaches maturity. The pod produces 4 to 10 round brown seeds . The tree grows well in acidic soils with a
pH of 4.5-6.2. The tree is found on volcanic soils in its native range inCentral America andMexico . However, it can also grow on sandy, clay and limestone soils.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Gliricidia sepium
work = Tropical Forages | publisher =Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
date = | url = http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Gliricidia_sepium.htm
format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-09-26]Uses
The tree is used in many tropical and sub-tropical countries for various purposes such as
live fencing , fodder, coffee shade, firewood, [cite book|last=Lowe|first=Andrew|coauthors=Stephen Harris, Paul Ashton|title=Ecological Genetics|publisher=Blackwell Publishing|date=2004|pages=154|isbn=1405100338|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=L1hy1hu6MW0C|accessdate=2008-09-26]green manure and rat poison.cite book|last=Elevitch|first=Craig R.|title=The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with Trees|publisher=Permanent Agriculture Resources|date=2004|pages=152|isbn=0970254431|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SAJQhK1fWDoC&pg=RA1-PA152&dq=Gliricidia+sepium&sig=ACfU3U2Y0dfI7os2Wx6gMPWdD4Xn7R_xuA|accessdate=2008-09-26] Live fences can be grown from 1.5 m to 2.0 m stakes of "Gliricidia sepium" in just a month."G. sepium" is also used for its medicinal and insect repellent properties. Farmers in
Latin America often wash their livestock with a paste made of crushed "G. sepium" leaves to ward offtorsalo s. In thePhilippines , the extract obtained from its leaves is used to remove external parasites. InGuatemala , the bark and leaves of the tree are used to treat skin diseases.cite web| title = Gliricidia sepium | work = Treating Livestock with Medicinal Plants: Beneficial or Toxic? | publisher = Cornell University | date = | url = http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/medicinal/gliricid.html#toxicity | format = | doi =| accessdate = 2008-09-26]"G. sepium" is a fast growing
pioneer species that takes advantage of theslash and burn practice in its native range. Its swift propagation has caused it to be considered as a weed inJamaica . Because it is easily propagated and grows quickly, it has also been suggested that this species may be planted to reducetopsoil erosion in the initial stages of reforesting denuded areas, an intermediate step to be taken before introducing species that take longer to grow.References
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud.
work =
publisher = Purdue University
date =
url = http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Gliricidia_sepium.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-09-26
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