Flora of North America species comparison

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Leucaena leucocephala

Leucaena retusa

koa haole, lead tree, white leadtree

lemonball, littleleaf leadtree
Habit Shrubs or trees 3–15(–20) m, twigs and petioles puberulent. Shrubs or trees 2–5(–8) m, glabrous.
Leaves

petiole 2–3 cm;

gland saucer-shaped;

pinnae 4–8 pairs;

rachis 9–11 cm;

leaflets 26–32, rachilla 7–8 cm, blade oblong, 8–14 × 2–4.5 mm.

stipules long-persistent;

petiole 2–5 cm;

gland cylindrical;

pinnae 2–4 pairs;

rachis 4–8 cm;

leaflets usually 8–16, rachilla 4.5–5.5 cm, blade elliptic, (15–)20–26(–30) × (8–)10–12(–15) mm.
Inflorescences

fascicled in distal axils, 1–2 cm diam.;

bracts inconspicuous.

usually in fascicles of 2–4, rarely solitary, 2–2.5 cm diam.;

bracts conspicuously exserted in bud.
Peduncles

1–2.5 cm, pubescent.

2.5–9 cm, densely villous.
Flowers

calyx tube strigose;

petals distinct, white, puberulent;

anthers sparsely hairy, tip rounded.

calyx tube glabrous;

petals distinct, yellow, margins ciliolate;

anthers glabrous.
Legumes

green becoming red to brown, flat, compressed, 12–21 × 1.4–2 cm.

compressed, linear, 12–25 × 0.8–1.5 cm, coriaceous.
2n

= 104.

= 56.

Leucaena leucocephala

Leucaena retusa
Phenology Flowering and fruiting year-round. Flowering Apr–Jul, fruiting Jul–Sep.
Habitat introduced also in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.. Limestone or igneous hills.
Elevation 0–500 m. [0–1600 ft.] 500–2100 m. [1600–6900 ft.]
Distribution
from FNA
FL; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America; introduced also in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Leucaena leucocephala is probably native in the New World tropics and is now pantropical as a weed. It is planted for food and animal forage and is used as firewood. Because it is cultivated in Arizona and California, it should be expected as a weed. Leucaena leucocephala is a self-compatible tetraploid.

C. E. Hughes (1998) recognized three subspecies in Leucaena leucocephala, two of which occur in North America: subsp. glabrata (Rose) Zárate (arborescent) and subsp. leucocephala (shrubby), with traits which are not determinable from herbarium specimens; their character states are otherwise overlapping.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Leucaena retusa is not uncommon in central and western Texas; in New Mexico it is known only in the Guadalupe Mountains in Eddy County near the ghost town of Queen.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 11. Treatment author: Neil A. Harriman†. FNA vol. 11. Treatment author: Neil A. Harriman†.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (Mimosoid clade) > Leucaena Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (Mimosoid clade) > Leucaena
Sibling taxa
L. pulverulenta, L. retusa
L. leucocephala, L. pulverulenta
Synonyms Mimosa leucocephala Caudoleucaena retusa
Name authority (Lamarck) de Wit: Taxon 10: 54. (1961) Bentham: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 64. (1852)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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