| Vachellia oerfota | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Vachellia |
| Species: | V. oerfota |
| Binomial name | |
| Vachellia oerfota | |
 | |
| Range ofVachellia oerfota | |
| Synonyms[2][3] | |
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Vachellia oerfota is a shrub or tree native toAfrica andWest Asia.[2]
It is a somewhat obconical shrub which grows up to about 5 metres high.[4] The branches often radiate from the base in all directions. The branchlets tend to be straight and are grey-white, with grey-white spines with brown tips, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long. Thepinnae are in 3 to 12 pairs, withleaflets in 5 to 15 pairs, about 0.3 cm long.[5] The flowers are off-white in globose heads, and are very fragrant Pods are 5 to 10 cm long, 1.25 cm broad and pale yellow, pointed at both ends. The seeds are olive-green, with five to ten in a pod.[6] It has an offensive smell when bruised or cut.
Vachellia oerfota occurs mainly on alluvial silt soils. It is found in north-east Africa fromEgypt toKenya, and also inIraq andIran.
It is an important legume tree commonly browsed by goats and camels in Africa. It is valued as a fodder by pastoralists.[7] The leaves and pods are high incalcium, and the leaves are a good source ofphosphorus.[8]
The bark extract is said to have medicinal value amongst theBorana ofEthiopia, where it is boiled amongst other things for colds.[9] Amongst theSamburu of Kenya is used for "women's stomach pain, hetpatitis, fever and gonorrhoea".[10] It is used in making beverages.[11] The bark is peeled, soaked in water and drunk as tea.
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