Leguminosae-mim Acacia etbaica Schweinf.

| |	© Chris W. Fagg

Other images of the same specimen :

| 1 | 2 |

Keywords in this picture :

• Foliage
• Node
• Stipule
• Flower
• Thorn
• Vegetative
• Spines prickles etc
• Stem
• Inflorescence
• Flower part
• Flower & fruit
• Flower bud
• Plant parts

Species information

Interest
In Ethiopia and Somalia, the foliage and pods are eaten by cattle, sheep and camels and baboons eat the immature pods in Somalia (Wickens et al 1995). In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the white flowers are an important source of honey for bees, produce a delicous white honey. In Sudan, the bark is used for tanning hides used for water bags. In the construction of Somali nomadic huts, the covering mats can be made from the bark of this species, which are stitched together with chewed inner bark. Makes a smokey fire and therefore not liked for firewood.

Other Notes
Common names: ssp. etbaica: Sudan: Arad (Arabic), Arad (Hadendoa), Arrad (Hadendoa), Garrad (Khasa), Qarad (Beni Amer). ssp. australis: Tanzania: Mshaganu (Kipare). ssp. platycarpa: Kenya: Ala Kabesa (Boran), Eliwo (Turkana), Kilaa (Kamba), Muswii (Kamba), Osiyiamalili (Masai); Tanzania: Osimanulie (Kimasai); Uganda: Anyasanyit (Karamajong), Atat (Suk): ssp. uncinata: Ethiopia: Dodota (Gallinia); Kenya: Abak (Somali), Bura (Marakoto), Mginga (Swahili), Mulaa (Kamba), Sigirso (Boran), Sigirso (Gabbra); Somalia: Sog sog (Somali), Sog-sog (Somali), Sogsog (Somali), Sug sug (Ishaak tribes), Sugsug (Somali), Youbi (Warsangeleh), Yubi (Somali). Species characteristics : Usually a small tree 2-12 m tall with a distinct trunk with a flattened or rounded crown. Like A. tortilis this species can have mixed hooked and straight thorns. Occurs in wooded grassland, dry deciduous bush and semi desert scrub, it can frequently dominate the vegetation type. Found on limestone, sandstone and granite rocky slopes, and in sandy alluvium to black cotton clay soils. Split into 4 subspecies, distinguished hairiness of young branches, width of pods and whether they have straight, hooked or mixture of both thorns. Closely related to A. reficiens ssp. misera and A. elatior. Subgenus Acacia. Distribution : ssp. etbaica: Somalia ; Sudan (Ash Sharqiyah); Eritrea . ssp. australis: Kenya (Eastern); Tanzania (Tanga, Pare). ssp. platycarpa: Ethiopia (Sidamo); Kenya (Turkana, Rift valley, Coast, Northern Frontier, Central, Masai, Kajiado, Machakos, Eastern, Laikipia, Kitui, Narok, Isiolo, Samburu, Embu, Kwale, Moyale, Baringo, Kilifi, Marsabit); Tanzania (Northern, Kilimanjaro, Lushoto, Mbulu, Masai, Pare, Pare/Lushoto); Uganda (Karamoja); ssp. uncinata : Ethiopia (Harerge, Shewa, Sidamo, Tigray, Arsi, South); Kenya (Coast, Northern Frontier, Masai, Garissa, Laikipia, Nakuru, Taita, Maralal, Isiolo, Meru, Kwale, Baringo, Mombasa, Kilifi, Marsabit, ); Somalia (Mudug, Sanaag, Jubbada hoose, Bay, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, NE, Tugdheer); Uganda (Acholi); Eritrea . Altitude range: ssp. etbaica: 660-1524m; ssp. australis: 609-1371m ; ssp. platycarpa: 150-1900m; ssp. uncinata : 10- (1200-2000) -2317m

Specimen information

Collector
Fagg, C. W.

Specimen Number
006