Sign Up    |     Login    |     Take a Tour    |     Need Help?

Leguminosae-mim Acacia nilotica ssp. (L.) Willd. ex Del. subalata (Vatke) Brenan

Leguminosae-mim Acacia nilotica
| | © Rosemary Wise

Keywords in this picture :

Places where this species can be found :

Species information

Interest
Similar to the other subspecies, its wood is reddish hard and durable. It is termite resistent. Recorded uses include turnery, pit props and fence posts. Foliage browsed by cattle, sheep goats and other ruminants and pods eaten by livestock, rhino, baboons, and antelope especially nyala. (Wickens et al 1995). Pods used for tanning and making ink. Gum is edible, and also used as a glue to attach feathers to arrows. The sap from the inner bark is rubbed on metal to produce a rust preventing black paint, and with shreds of bark to deter bed bugs. A decoction of root bark taken for coughs.

Other Notes
Species characteristics: 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. Common names: Kenya: Akurukuku (Luo), Boa Hope (Somali), Burguge (Boran), Burkukeh (Boran), Burquqe (Boran), Burquque (Boran), Chebitet (Kipsigis), Chebiwa (Kimasai), Chebiwa (Tugen), Chebiwo (Tugen), Chebiywa (Kalenjin), Chebiywo (Tugen), Chepitet (Kipsigis), Chigundigundi (Digo), Ekapelimen (Turkana), Ekapilimen (Turkana), Ikoloriti (Samburu), Illgiliti (Rendille), Inyanya (Luhya), Jebitet (Kipsigis), Kopka (Pokot), Kopkwo (Pokot), Loriti (Ndorobo), Marai (Somali), Mgunga (Swahili), Msemehi (Gir.), Msemeri (Swahili), Muhegakululu (Giriama), Munga (Gir.), Musemei (Kamba), Musemei (Kitui), Muthi (Kamba), Okiloriti (Masai), Okopkwo (Pokot), Ol'giloridi (Masai), Ol-Kiloriti (Loita), Olkiloriti (Masai), Twerr (Somali), Yakapelimen (Turkana); Sudan: Asit (Lotuho); Tanzania: Bariomot (Mbulu), Barjomod (Torea(?)), Dubilo (Sukuma), Elarai (Masai), Izejele (Brogu), Izejere (Songwe), Kiloriti (Kimasai), Kiloriti (Masai), Kisachame (Kikabwe), Kizami (Kizamaki), Manange (Sandawe), Mgelegele (Kishamb.), Mgunga (Nyam.), Mgungankundu (Zigua), Mpera (Kish.), Mtuluangoye (Kisumbua), Mulutzilutzi (Kiluguru), Mwiya (Kimbu), Ngeregere (Kishamb.), Olekesa-Olnatungy (Masai), Olgiroriti (Kimasai), Olgorete (Kimasai), Olmumunj (Masai), Umsasau (Kinyaramba); Uganda: Kapka (Suk). Distribution: Angola (Benguela, Huila, Mocamedes, Cuanza sul); Ethiopia (Shewa, Gamo Gofa); Kenya (Turkana, Rift valley, Coast, Northern Frontier, Central, Masai, Tsavo, Kajiado, Garissa, Machakos, Eastern, Laikipia, West Pokot, Nairobi, Kitui, Nakuru, Narok, Taita, Maralal, Samburu, Meru, Embu, Kwale, Mandera, Baringo, Thika, Voi, Wajir, Mombasa, Kilifi, Pokot, Nandi, Muranga, Ravine, Marsabit); Somalia (Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Jubbada hoose, Saakow, Srawa); Sudan (Eastern Equatoria); Tanzania (Central, Bagamoyo, Njombe, Handeni, Korogwe, N. Pare, Southern Highlands, Tanga, Mkalama, Mbulu / Singida, W. Tabora, Singinda, Songwe, Nzega, Uzaramo, Maswa, Lushoto, Kondoa, Mbeya, Iringa, Mbulu, Musoma, Tabora, Shinyanga, Moshi, Masai, Arusha, Mpwapwa, Pangani, Pare, Singida, Monduli, Dodoma, Rufiji, Morogoro, Kilosa, Same, Muheza, Ufipa); Uganda (Karamoja, Acholi). Altitude range: 5- (5-1800) -2300m

Specimen information

Collector
PS

Specimen Number
s.n.