Gliricidia
Gliricidia
Genus of legumes
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]
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.
