Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

17 Piyon
Species: Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.
Family: Fabaccae (=Leguminosae) Subfamily - Lotoideae (Faboideae, Papilionoideae)
Synonyms: Cliricidia lambii, G. sepium (Jacq.) Steud., Lonchocarpus sepium, Robinia
maculala HBK., R. sepium Jacq.
Common Names: H - pinon (piyon, piyong), IiI as etranger (lila etranje), immortelle
(mOlel); DR - almacigo extranjero, palo de parque, pinon de Cuba, pinon cubano, varita
de San Jose; C, DR - pinon amoroso; C - acacia, amor y celos, bien vestida, desnudo
florecido, floresco, pinon florido; J - quick stick, St. Vincent plum; PR - madre de
cacao, mata raton, mother-of-cocao
Importance: G. sepium is one of the easiest nitrogen-fixing trees to establish by stem
cuttings, making it a valuable live fence species to protect property. Grown as a tree, it
serves as shade for perennial crops and is easily lopped as a source of fuelwood, forage
and green manure. Larger stems are a source of rough lumber. Anywhere soil stabilization
is required, the living fence technology can be employed in alley cropping or in
gully plug arrangements. The species improves the soil. Ease in propagation, fast
growth and low risk of being invasive offer an easily-managed component for agroforestry
systems.
Taxonomy and Botanical Features: The generic name Gliricidia refers to "mouse
killer" in Latin (Barrett, 1956) and the species epithet is named from the Latin saepes
meaning "hedge." There are at least 3 species in the genera that are native to Central
America, though confusion has surrounded the taxonomy of the species. G. maculala,
a closely related species, is distinguished by its white flower and different leaf morphology,
although some botanists consider it synonymous with G. sepium (Hughes,
1987).
Piyon is one ofthe popular names used for this species ir; Haiti, most likely derived
from the Dominican common name,piiion cubano (Liogier, 1974). G. sepium is a multistemmed
tree, often with spindly branches forming a loose crown (Fig 17.2). The alternate
leaves are recognized
by 7-9 pairs of
elliptic leaflets 2-7 em
long. Flowers range
from pink to lavender
and are arranged in a
short, erect inflorescence
usually preceding
the leaves. The
dehiscent pods turn
from greenish yellow to
brown and explode
Figure 17.2 G sepium is a light seeder in Haiti.
when mature. Each pod
contains 5-6 seeds and
twists into spirals after
shedding the seed.
145