| Vachellia nilotica | |
|---|---|
_from_Rajasthan%2c_India.jpg) | |
| Leaves and thorns | |
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. nilotica |
| Binomial name | |
| Vachellia nilotica | |
| Subspecies | |
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| Range ofVachellia nilotica | |
| Synonyms[4] | |
Vachellia nilotica, more commonly known asAcacia nilotica, and by thevernacular names ofgum arabic tree,[5]babul,[6]thorn mimosa,Egyptian acacia orthorny acacia,[7] is aflowering tree in the familyFabaceae. It is native to Africa, the Middle East and theIndian subcontinent. It is also considered a 'weed of national significance' and aninvasive species of concern in Australia, as well as anoxious weed by the federal government of the United States.[8]
This species of tree is thetype species of theLinnaean genusAcacia, which derives its name fromGreekἀκακία,akakía, the name given by early Greek botanist-physicianPedanius Dioscorides(c. AD 40-90) to this tree as a medicinal, in his bookMateria Medica.[9] The genusAcacia was long known not to be taxonomically monophyletic, and despite being the type species of that genus,A. nilotica has since been moved to the genusVachellia, with the genus nameAcacia being reserved for Australian species; theprinciple of priority, which would normally prevent such a taxonomic change, was waived with a majority vote by theInternational Botanical Congress in 2005. The renaming of the traditionalAcacia toVachellia remains controversial, especially in Africa, whereV. nilotica is an iconic species and is widely referred to as "the acacia".[10] For the new classification of this and other species historically classified under genusAcacia, seeAcacia.
The genus nameAcacia derives fromἀκακία, which may come from the ancient Greek wordἄκις,ákis, "thorn", for its characteristic thorns,[11] or may have been borrowed from apre-Greek language.[12] Thespecific epithetnilotica was probably given by Linnaeus from the tree's originally known range along theNile river.[citation needed] In Australia the tree is known as aprickly acacia,[13] despite usurping Dioscorides' two millennia-old etymology, the Australian species classified asAcacia in Australia do not have thorns.
_flowers_at_Hodal_W_IMG_1248.jpg)
Acacia nilotica orVachellia nilotica is a tree 5–20 m high with a dense sphericcrown, stems and branches usually dark to black coloured, fissured bark, grey-pinkish slash, exuding a reddish low quality gum. The tree has thin, straight, light, grey spines in axillary pairs, usually in 3 to 12 pairs, 5 to 7.5 cm (3 in) long in young trees, mature trees commonly without thorns. The leaves are bipinnate, with 3–6 pairs of pinnulae and 10–30 pairs of leaflets each, tomentose, rachis with a gland at the bottom of the last pair of pinnulae. Flowers in globulous heads 1.2–1.5 cm in diameter of a bright golden-yellow color, set up either axillary or whorly onpeduncles 2–3 cm long located at the end of the branches. Pods are strongly constricted, hairy, white-grey, thick and softly tomentose. Its seeds number approximately 8000/kg.[14]
Acacia nilotica orVachellia nilotica is native fromEgypt, across theMaghreb andSahel, south toMozambique andKwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and east through theArabian Peninsula to theIndian subcontinent andBurma. It has become widelynaturalised outside its native range includingZanzibar and Australia.[15] It is spread by livestock.[13]
_trunk_at_Hodal_W_IMG_1252.jpg)
In part of its range, smallstock consume the pods and leaves,[16] but elsewhere it is also very popular with cattle.
In South Africa, milling of twigs and branches is applied to produce animal fodder. The milling helps to reduce the dispersal of seeds through the animals, which otherwise would contribute to furtherwoody plant encroachment in the region.[17]
Pods are used as a supplement to poultry rations in India. Dried pods are particularly sought out by animals on rangelands. In India branches are commonly lopped forfodder.
In West Africa, the pods and leaves are considered to haveanthelminthic properties on small ruminants and this has been confirmed by in vitro experiments onnematodes.[16]
InKano ofNigeria, acacia pods have traditionally been used to dye leather a reddish-tinge.[18]
The tender twig of this plant is used as a toothbrush in south-east Africa and the Indian subcontinent.[19]
The exudate gum of this tree is known asgum arabic and has been collected from thepharaonic times for the manufacture of medicines, dyes and paints. In the present commercial market, gum arabic is defined as the dried exudate from the trunks and branches ofSenegalia (Acacia) senegal orVachellia (Acacia) seyal in the family Leguminosae (Fabaceae).[20]: 4 The gum ofA. nilotica is also referred to in India asAmaravati gum.[21]
The tree's wood is "very durable ifwater-seasoned" and its uses include tool handles and lumber for boats.[22] The wood has a density of about 833 kg/m3.[2]
In India it's used as an ingredient in various dishes.
TheMaasai people eat both the inner bark (phloem) and the fruit pulp boiled in water. The East african tribes living on the savanna use this plant medicinally to treat sore throat, cough, chest pains etc.[23]
In Northern Nigeria it is calledbagaruwa inHausa. Medicinal uses include soaking the tender bark in water to be taken against dysentery and pile. The fruits are ground together with the seeds and taken with honey as treatment against stomach ulcers.
Two new[clarification needed] antiprotozoal diterpenes have been isolated from the root bark ofAcacia nilotica.[24]
There are 5000–16000 seeds/kg.[25]
