Gliricidia

Gliricidia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae and tribe Robinieae. Its native range is Mexico to Peru, but Gliricidia sepium has been widely introduced to other tropical zones.[2]

Gliricidia
Gliricidia sepium
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Robinieae
Genus: Gliricidia
Kunth
Synonyms[1][2]
  • Hybosema Harms
  • Yucaratonia Burkart

The species G. sepium is a small, deciduous, ornamental tree, cultivated and used for a variety of purposes in tropical regions. The genus name Gliricidia means "mouse killer" in reference to the traditional use of the toxic seeds and bark of G. sepium as rodenticides.[3] The tree is leafless when in flower and bears fruits during April and May in India and countries with same climate. The small flowers (barely 2 cm long) are pale pink and they are borne in dense clusters on bare twigs. Flowers fade to white or a faint purple with age. The flowers attract a lot of bees and some lycaenid butterflies—particularly the Peablue Lampides boeticus and other native birds.

Species

The following species are valid:[1]

  • Gliricidia brenningii (Harms) Lavin
  • Gliricidia ehrenbergii (Schltdl.) Rydb.
  • Gliricidia maculata (H. B. K.) Steud.
  • Gliricidia robustum (M. Sousa & Lavin) Lavin
  • Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud.

References
  1. Lavin M, Wojciechowski MF, Gasson P, Hughes C, Wheeler E (2003). "Phylogeny of Robinioid Legumes (Fabaceae) Revisited: Coursetia and Gliricidia Recircumscribed, and a Biogeographical Appraisal of the Caribbean Endemics" (PDF). Systematic Botany. 28 (2): 387–409. doi:10.1043/0363-6445-28.2.387.
  2. Plants of the World Online (POWO): Gliricidia Kunth (retrieved 28 June 2020)
  3. Abulude, F.O; Adebote, V.T. (2009). "Antibacterial investigation of crude extracts of the root bark of Gliricidia sepium". Continental J. Microbiology (3): 23–26. S2CID 14135175.
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