LEGUMINOSAE 227 



Rarely cultivated, Singalon, fl. AprU-May. A widely distributed en- 

 demic species yielding a valuable timber. 



4. ACACIA Willdenow 



Spinose or prickly, rarely unarmed, erect or climbing shrubs or small 

 tre^s. Leaves bipinnate, the leaflets numerous, small, or in one Philip- 

 pine species represented by phyllodia only. Flowers 5-merous, usually per- 

 fect, in globose, axillary, solitary or panicled heads.' Calyx toothed, cam- 

 panulate or funnel-shaped. Petals exserted, united below. Stamens many, 

 free, exserted. Ovary many-ovuled. Pod lignlate or oblong, not jointed, 

 flat or swollen, dehiscent or indehiscent. (Ancient Greek name of a spiny 

 Egyptian tree.) 



Species about 450 in all tropical countries, 5 in the Philippines. 



Erect shrubs; pods turgid „ 1. A. famesiana 



Climbing shrubs; pods flat. 2. A. rugata 



1. A. PABNESIANA (L.) WiUd. Aroma (Sp.-Fil.). 



A much branched spiny shrub 2 to 4 .m high, the branches more or less 

 zig-zag, lenticellate, the spines stipular, sharp, 1 to 4 cm long, those on the 

 branchlets smaller. Leaves 5 to 8 cm long; pinnae usually 10 to 12; leaflets 

 linear-oblong, 15 to 40, 4 to 7 mm long. Heads axillary, solitary or fascicled, 

 globose, densely many-flowered, about 1 cm in diameter, the peduncles slen- 

 der, pubescent, 2 to 3.5 cm long. Flowers yellow, fragrant. Pods turgid, 

 5 to 7 cm long, 1 to 1.5 cm wide, straight or curved. 



In waste places, common, fl. Oct.-May; widely distributed and abundant 

 in the Philippines, thoroughly naturalized. Probably a native- of tropical 

 America, now found in most tropical countries. 



2. A. rugata (Lam.) Ham. (A. concinna DC). 



A scandent, prickly shrub reaching a. height of 4 to 5 m. Branches 

 gray, armed with short, sharp prickles. Leaves 15 to 25 cm long; pinnae 

 8 to 10 pairs, the rachis with one gland near the base and one or two 

 near the apex; leaflets 20 to 32 pairs, linear-oblong, 8 to 10 nim long, acute, 

 base subtruncate, midrilj oblique. Panicles terminal and in the upper axils, 

 ample, the heads yellow, about 1 cm in diameter. Pod sjti-aight, somewhat 

 fleshy, wrinkled'when dry, flat, 7 to 10 eni long, about 2 cm wide. 



In thickets on dry bluffs opposite Port McKinley, fl. March; of local 

 occurrence in Luzon. India to China and Malaya. 



6. LEUCAENA Bentham 



Small, erect, unarmed trees. Leaves evenly bipinnate, the leaflets small. 

 Flowers sessile, in dense, globose heads, 5-merous, usually perfect. Calyx 

 cylindric-campanulate, shortly toothed. Petals valvate, free. Stamens 10, 

 free, much exserted; anthers not gland-crested. Ovary stalked. Pod flat, 

 coriaceous, strap-shaped, thin, dehiscent. (Greek "white.") 



Species 8, -mostly American, the following introduced in the Philippines. 



1. L. GLAUCA (L.) Benth. Malaganit, Ipel or Ipel-ipel (Tag.). 



A shrub or small tree 2 to 6 m high. Leaves 15 to 25 cm long, rachises 

 pubescent; pinnae 8 to 16, 5 to 9 cm long; leaflets 20 to 30, linear-oblong, 

 acute, inequilateral, 7 to 12 mm long. Heads solitary, axillary, long-pedun- 

 cled, globose, densely many-flowered, 2 to 5 cm in diameter. Flowers white. 

 Pod thin, flat, strap-shaped, acuminate, 12 to 18 cm long, 1.4 to 2 cm wide, 

 usually many developing from each head of flowers, each containing from 

 16 to 25, elliptic, coropJ-essed^ shining, brown seeds. (Fl. Filip. pi. iOO.) 



