leucaena

Any fast-growing tropical shrub or small tree of the genus Leucaena (especially Leucaena leucocephala, commonly known as the lead tree or white popinac) in the family Fabaceae, native to southern Mexico and Central America, bearing bipinnate leaves, globular heads of white flowers, and flat brown seedpods, widely cultivated in tropical regions for livestock fodder, timber, and soil enrichment.

The flat, strap-shaped leguminous seedpod (botanically a dry fruit) or the young, tender seeds produced by trees of the genus Leucaena, which are harvested green and eaten raw, steamed, or fermented as a traditional food in Mexico and parts of Southeast Asia.