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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Reproduction
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Notes
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Overview:

An important source of firewood and good quality charcoal in the Sahelian regions. Its sap wood is yellowish white, and a pinkish red to reddish brown heartwood, it is hard and heavy with a density of 0.80. Resistent to water and termites, it is widely used for internal and external utensils and construction, boat building and pit props. In Sudan wood used for railway sleepers and water wheels. Roots are used for the wide mesh baskets used to protect large water and milk vessels. Source of gum and tannin, pods in Sudan contain 25-33.8% and de-seeded pods up to 50% tannin. In Cairo it is planted as a street tree ( Wickens et al. 1995).

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Acacia arabica sensu auct.
2. Acacia scorpioides W.Wight
3. Mimosa arabica Lam.
4. Mimosa nilotica L.
5. Mimosa scorpioides L.

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name.

Common names: Cameroon: Garad (Arabic), Ngal (Kotoko); Mali: Tehedjeit (Tamarek).

Physical Description

Subfamily Mimosoideae:

Mostly trees or shrubs. Leaves mostly bipinnate. Corolla usually not showy, actinomorphic, sympetalous, the lobes valvate. Stamens 10-numerous, often monadelphous, showy. Pollen released in monads, tetrads, or polyads. Seeds with u-shaped line (pleurogram) present. [Carr]

Genus Acacia:

Trees, shrubs, rarely herbs, often prickly or spinose. Leaves bipinnate; leaflets small and numerous or leaves reduced to phyllodes; petiolar glands often present; stipules generally spinescent. Inflorescence cylindric spike or globose head; peduncle solitary axillary or fasciculate or paniculate at the end of branches; bracts often two, scale like, situated on the peduncle at various levels. Flowers small, 3-5-merous, bisexual or plants polygamous. Calyx campanulate, dentate, lobed or polysepalous. Petals usually more or less united, rarely absent. Stamens indefinite, free or shortly and irregularly connate at the base; anthers small, eglandular. Ovary sessile or stipitate, with 2 or more ovules. Fruit ovate to linear, straight, arcuate or contorted, membranous to woody, rarely articulated or moniliform. Seed large, with a filiform funicle or fleshy aril.

A genus with about 900 species; distributed mainly in tropics and subtropics, especially in Africa and Australia.^[1]

Species Acacia nilotica nilotica:

Very widespread species in Africa and also streaching to the Indian subcontinent and Shri Lanka, it is divided into nine subspecies. Single stemmed, deciduous or evergreen tree, usually 2.5-15 m tall, but reaching 25 m or more in the riverine subspecies, with a flattened spreading or rounded crown. Root system deep and extensive in dry sites, the taproot developing first and then the laterals, which become compact and massive, but in flooded sites the root system is largely lateral. Distinguished from most African Acacia species in possessing long straight paired thorns at the leaf axil which are characteristically deflexed. Acacia nilotica in Africa exhibits two very distinct ecological preferences: the subspecies subalata, leiocarpa and adstringens occur in wooded grassland, savanna and dry scrub forests on deep sandy loamy soils, and also on lateritic and calcareous sites. Subsp. kraussiana also prefers dry grasslands and savannas, especially on compacted sandy loam, shallow granite or clay soils along drainage lines and rivers, but away from flooding. On the other hand, subspecies nilotica and tomentosa are restricted to riverine habitats and seasonally flooded areas on clay alluvial soils. In the Indian subcontinent, subsp. indica forms low altitude dry forests usually on alluvium soils subject to flooding or black cotton soils. Now widely planted on farms throughout the plains, it will also grow on saline, alkaline, and on soils with calcareous pans.

Habit: Shrub, Tree • Climbing: Not Climbing

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

Burkina Faso (Centre); Cameroon ; Egypt ; Ethiopia (Harerge); Mali (Kayes); Nigeria (Sokoto, Bornu); Sudan (Khartoum, Kordofan, North, Ash Shamaliyah); Tanzania (Uzaramo); Unknown ); Yemen (Aden); Zanzibar; Chad (Chari Baguirmi); Oman (Nizwa).

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Similar Species

Members of the genus Acacia:

There are approximately 2,924 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: A. acuminata burkitii · A. angustissima smithii · A. aspera parviceps · A. ataxiphylla magna · A. bivenosa bivenosa · A. bivenosa wayi · A. disparrima calidestris · A. euthycarpa oblanceolata · A. farnesiana minuta · A. farnesiana pinetorum · A. julifera curvinervia · A. solandri solandri · A. sphacelata recurva · A. sphacelata verticillata · A. stipuligera stipuligera · A. tortilis campoptila · A. victoriae arida · A. yemenensis obtusifoliolata · A. hanburyana · A. 'Cascade' · A. 'Clair de Lune' · A. 'Mireille' · A. 'Rustica' · A. 'Winter Gold' · A. 05ana · A. abbatiana · A. abbreviata · A. abrupta · A. abstergens · A. abyssinica · A. abyssinica abyssinica · A. abyssinica calophylla · A. acanthaster · A. acanthocarpa var. uncinella · A. acanthoclada · A. acanthoclada acanthoclada · A. acanthoclada glaucescens · A. acanthoclada subsp. glaucescens · A. acanthoclada var. glaucescens · A. acanthophora · A. acatlensis · A. acellerata · A. acinacea (Gold Dust Wattle) · A. acinacea 'Ruby Tips' · A. acinacea var. acinacea · A. acinacea var. brevipedunculata · A. aciphylla · A. aciphylla var. aciphylla · A. acoma · A. acradena · A. acradenia · A. acrionastes · A. acuaria · A. acuifera · A. aculeaticarpa · A. aculeatissima · A. aculeiformis · A. acuminata (Raspberry Jam) · A. acuminata acuminata (Raspberry Jam) · A. acuminata burkittii · A. acuminata subsp. burkitii · A. acuminata var. acuminata · A. acutangula · A. acutata · A. acutistipula · A. adenanthera · A. adenocalyx · A. adenocarpa · A. adenogonia · A. adenopa · A. adenophora · A. adenostylis · A. adhaerens · A. adhaerens var. parviceps · A. adherens · A. adinophylla · A. adnata · A. adoxa · A. adoxa var. adoxa · A. adoxa var. subglabra · A. adoxa x · A. adpressa · A. adsurgens · A. adunca (Wallangarra Wattle) · A. aegyptiaca · A. aemula · A. aemula aemula · A. aemula muricata · A. aemula subsp. muricata · A. aestivalis · A. alata · A. alata var. alata · A. alata var. biglandulosa · A. alata var. glabrata · A. alata var. platyptera · A. alata var. tetrantha · A. alaticaulis · A. alaticaulisTindale · A. albescens · A. albicorticata (Aromo)

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby FA, Roskov YR, Orrell TM, Nicolson D, Paglinawan LE, Bailly N, Kirk PM, Bourgoin T, van Hertum J, eds (2008). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist Taxonomic Classification. CD-ROM; Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 21, 2007.
• Rico ML, 1994 (from ILDIS World Database of Legumes).
• The Virtual Field Herbarium.

Identifiers:

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13664551
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 425355

Footnotes:

1. "Acacia". in Flora of Pakistan. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.