Family: Leguminosae
D, Talantayan, Tangantangan
Description: Leucaena is a small tree with finely divided, light green, bipinnate leaves. The leaflets, about 15 pairs, are 1-1.5 cm. long, opposite, asymmetrical and slightly curved. The flowering heads grow in clusters from branch ends. The individual flowers are white, the head turning brown as it matures. The pods are flat, about 15 cm. long, green when immature, turning brown with age. The oval seeds are flat and glossy.
F. Pantropical, native to Tropical America.
Comments:The native L. insularum is very similar to L. Leucocephala, but is smaller in all respects. The best way to distinguish between the two species is to count the leaflets. The native species has 15-50 pairs and the individual leaflet is smaller. Talan-tayan is a popular source of firewood on the island and it is common to see Chamorros gathering it by pickup along the roads. It is also used as feed for cattle and pigs. Being a legume, it is able to fix nitrogen in the soil. A handful of leaves placed under transplants provides a source of fertilizer.