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Leguminosae-mim Acacia nigrescens Oliv.

| | © Rosemary Wise

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Species information

Interest
The heartwood, which forms a substantial proportion of most boles, is one of the heaviest and most durable woods; even the off white sapwood is more durable than that of most acacias. The hard, strong, heavy (1120 kg/m3), dark reddish brown heartwood has a medium to coarse even texture and requires slow seasoning. For such a dense timber it seasons well but often develops cracks. Because of its hardness and uneven crossed grain, it is difficult to work, but provides an excellent finish with only oil or wax. It is difficult to saw and dulls tool edges; sharp tools are required. The heartwood is extremely resistant to borer, termite and fungal attack. A. nigrescens can make attractive furniture but is generally too heavy for this. The wood has been used for carving, turnery, parquet flooring, railway sleepers and mine props, but its main use is for fence posts and stock handling facilities. The species is ideally suited to this being straight and having a moderate quantity of heartwood when pole-sized. It also provides an excellent firewood and is the favoured fuel for tobacco barns and charcoal in N. Kenya. The foliage provides a good source of browse for wildlife and livestock. Elephant often damage trees in the Zambezi Valley by breaking branches or stripping the bark. The bark is rich in tannin. It is readily browsed by goats, and flowers and seed are eaten by baboons. Larvae of the butterfly Charaxes phaeno feed on the leaves. The only recorded medicinal use in Zimbabwe is by Shona traditional healers who make an ointment from the burnt roots to treat convulsions. Leaves have been eaten as spinach (Timberlake et al 1999, Wickens et al. 1995).

Other Notes
Common names: Botswana: Mokoba (Mokgwe); Mozambique: Kue (Kuele), Mucuncu (Sena), Munhoto (Macua); Tanzania: Mkambala (Hehe), Mkambala (Kigogo), Mkambala (Luguru), Mkambara (Zigua), Mnyenjere (Mwera), Mtangi (Kihiao), Nanjere (Kimwera), Xoha (Sandawe); Zambia: Kwena (Lozi), Nyamamponombwe (Kunda); Zimbabwe: Mpovza (Shangaan), Mukaya (Shangaan), Munanga (Shona). Species characteristics: Medium to large tree up to 30 m tall but usually under 20 m., with large paired leaflets (for an Acacia), and often bearing hooked thorns on distinctive finger-like bosses on the trunk. A widespread species it is commonly found in lowland woodland both on shallow rocky slopes or in valley alluvium, which is relatively frost free and often has heavy basic soils. Distribution: Botswana (Chobe, Central, Ngamiland, South Eastern, Northern); Malawi (Chikwawa, Southern, Dowa); Mozambique (Sulo do save, Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Tete, Maputo, Inhambane, Manica e Sofala, Niassa, Nampula, Mocuba, Zambesi); South Africa (Transvaal, Natal, Pietersburg, Pilgrims Rest); Swaziland (Stegi, Manzini, Lubombo, Shiselweni); Tanzania (Central, Coast, Bagamoyo, Handeni, Southern Highlands, Masasi, Lushoto, Kondoa, Iringa, Shinyanga, Mpwapwa, Lindi, Singida, Dodoma, Rufiji, Morogoro, Kilosa, Kilwa); Zambia (Southern, Western, Eastern, Sesheke, Mazabuka, Livingstone, Monze); Zimbabwe (Buhera, Gwanda, Beitbridge, Hwange, Guruve, Gokwe, Hurungwe, Nyamandhlovu, Chiredzi, Chipinge, Bulawayo, Matobo, Chimanimani, Bikita, Mwenezi, Mutoko, Darwin, Sebungwe, Bulilima-Mangwe, Ndanga, Mutare, Masvingo, Zvishavane, Mberengwa, Chivi, Melsetter, Centenary, Mtoko); Namibia (Caprivi, Kavango, Caprivi Oos). Specimen total: 727 Degree squares: 97 Collection years: 1859-1996 Phenology: Flowering period: Jan(2), Feb(1), Apr(1), Jul(7), Aug(15), Sep(37), Oct(21), Nov(7), Dec(1) Fruiting period: Jan(5), Feb(6), Mar(5), Apr(7), May(9), Jun(8), Jul(3), Aug(4), Sep(6), Oct(4), Nov(5), Dec(1) Altitude range: 25-1330m

Specimen information

Collector
PS

Specimen Number
s.n.