Quickstick

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Nicaraguan cocoashade
• quick-stick

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lonchocarpus sepium
• Lonchocarpus roseus
• Robinia rosea
• Robinia sepium
• Robinia variegata
• Gliricidia maculata var. multijuga
• Millettia luzonensis
• Gliricidia lambii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Gliricidia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Gliricidia sepium, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across the West Tropical Africa region. It is found within the borders of Benin, where it thrives in local ecosystems. The species also extends its range into Burkina, contributing to the region's biodiversity. Furthermore, its presence is noted in Ghana and Guinea, marking its widespread utility in these areas. Finally, the plant is also documented to grow within Nigeria, completing its regional footprint.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Gliricidia sepium is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse environments, particularly within anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) where human activity has shaped the landscape. This species demonstrates a broad altitudinal tolerance, allowing it to colonize various terrains ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1900 m AMSL. Because it thrives in human-disturbed habitats, it often functions as a pioneer or opportunistic species in agricultural lands, pastures, and disturbed forest edges, effectively utilizing modified landscapes to establish itself across a wide vertical gradient.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Gliricidia sepium is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody stems, typically manifesting as a large shrub or small tree. Its phenology is marked by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a seasonal shedding of leaves, which is often a response to dry periods or specific environmental cues. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and deciduous foliage defines its ecological strategy and long-term survival patterns.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gliricidia sepium is characterized by a woody growth form that functions as a tree, capable of reaching significant dimensions. Its plant height is substantial, with a minimum height of 3 m and a maximum height of 15 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 15 m. While its structural classification includes tree-like characteristics, it exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative vine. This plant is strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit, neither being aquatic nor semiaquatic, and it does not function as an epiphyte (whether holoepiphyte, hemiepiphyte, or otherwise). Furthermore, Gliricidia sepium is an independent organism, meaning it does not exhibit parasitic behavior, functioning as a self-sufficient woody plant.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

15 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Gliricidia sepium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production. The plant exhibits a highly consistent leaf dry matter content (LDMC), with recorded mean, minimum, and maximum values all stabilizing at 239.9 mg/g, reflecting a uniform structural density within its leaf tissues. Furthermore, Gliricidia sepium functions as an active nitrogen fixer, a physiological trait that enables it to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form, significantly enhancing its nutrient acquisition capabilities.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

239.9 mg/g

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gliricidia sepium is driven by biotic pollination syndromes, specifically relying on insects and bees to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The plant exhibits an absence of self-fertilization, necessitating cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds characterized by a highly consistent length of 8.2 mm, with both the minimum and maximum recorded measurements reaching this exact value. The seed mass shows slight variability, with a mean mass of approximately 0.103108333 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.0789 g to a maximum of 0.12175 g.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length mean:

8.2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.12175 g

Seed mass mean:

0.103108333 g

Seed mass min:

0.0789 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Gliricidia sepium has 3 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, root.

Leaf

1. Veterinary world
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Fruit

1. Phytochemistry

Root

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Chemicals

Gliricidia sepium has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2'-O-Methylsepiol, 4-C-Methyl-myo-inositol, 7,3',4'-Trihydroxyflavanone, Ash, CALCIUM.

2'-O-Methylsepiol

1. Dr. Duke

4-C-Methyl-myo-inositol

1. Heliyon

7,3',4'-Trihydroxyflavanone

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Flavonoids

1. Veterinary world

IRON

1. Dr. Duke

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke

Robinetin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Gliricidia sepium has 208 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Allergenic, Analgesic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

AntiAGE

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCFS

1. Dr. Duke

AntiCTS

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Gliricidia sepium has 7 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include catalepsy, headache, menorrhagia, rheumatism, scabies.

Catalepsy

1. Farmaco (Societa chimica italiana : 1989)

Headache

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Menorrhagia

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Rheumatism

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Scabies

1. Acta medica Philippina

Toothache

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Wounds

1. Veterinary world

Preparations

Gliricidia sepium has 3 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanol extracts of Gliricidia sepium (Papilionaceae) bark, fruits, heart wood.

Ethanol extracts of gliricidia sepium (papilionaceae) bark

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fruits

1. Phytochemistry

Heart wood

1. Fitoterapia