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Glite Dictionary
Leucaena leucocephala

Leucaena leucocephala

9.9
A low scrubby tree from warm countries with white or yellow flowers and long flat seed pods
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Leucaena leucocephala
  • Farmers often plant Leucaena leucocephala as a source of fodder for livestock.

Examples

  • Many gardens use Leucaena leucocephala for its attractive, mimosa-like flowers.

  • The rapid growth of Leucaena leucocephala makes it popular for reforestation projects in tropical countries.

  • The Leucaena leucocephala tree is commonly found in tropical regions.

  • Many farmers plant Leucaena leucocephala for its fast growth.

  • Farmers often plant Leucaena leucocephala as a source of fodder for livestock.

  • The rapid growth of Leucaena leucocephala makes it popular for reforestation projects in tropical countries.

  • Many gardens use Leucaena leucocephala for its attractive flowers that resemble those of the mimosa.

Synonyms

white popinac
vsLeucaena leucocephala
  • US
9.9

A small tree with white flowers with some yellow and long flat pods that grows in warm places

is the botanical species name used in scientific contexts rather than common names
lead tree
vsLeucaena leucocephala
7.9

A low bushy tropical tree with feathery leaves and long pods used for animal food and to help the soil

is the native scrubby species itself rather than a tree named for cultivation use

Surface Forms

Leucaena leucocephala singular
Leucaena leucocephalas plural

Morphology

Leucaena + leucocephala

This is a scientific Latin binomial (genus + species) functioning as a proper name rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner recognized 'Leucaena' as a tree, 'leucocephala' is not an English word (and its Greek/Latin roots are unlikely to be known by a B1 learner), so the specific species meaning cannot be reliably derived from the constituents.

Etymology

Leucaena leucocephala may come from old Greek roots leuco ('white') and cephala ('head'), because the tree has round, pale flower heads. So the name gives a simple picture of its 'white-headed' flowers.