Leguminosae-mim Acacia brevispica ssp. Harms

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Keywords in this picture :

• Fruit
• Flower & fruit
• Plant parts

Species information

Interest
The fibres from the young bark make strong rope and the remaining peeled twigs are used for chew or tooth sticks. Thicker branches used for digging sticks, bows and walking sticks. Bundles of short branches are used as torches by honey collectors, due to the resinous sap. Children in northern Kenya even eat the sticky sweet sap. The gummy exudate from pounded leaves is used to repair holes in gourds. It is a preferred wet season firewood since it maintains flamability and does not readily absorb moisture. Used for house roofing. On the tree they hang bee hives.

Other Notes
Common names: Ethiopia: Arik'a (Ari); Kenya: Akurao (Teso), Amaresa (Boran), Ekorau (Turkana), Ekurao (Turkana), Girgirit (Kipsigis), Gorgor, Hamarress (Boran), Kaptara, Kaptarra (Pokot), Kikuswi (Kamba), Kiptara (Pokot), Korness (Tugen), Kptaru, Kuptaro, Kuptaru (Pokot), Kurnis (Tugen), Mogushwe (Wakili), Muchue (Kamba), Muguji (Kidaruma), Mukuswi, Mukusyi (Kamba), Murangare (Tharaka), Ngirgiri, Ngirgirit, Ngirigi, Ngirigirit (Kipsigis), Ol'Girgir, Ol'girgiri, Olgirgirri, Olgirigiri, Olgirigirri, Olkikirri, Origirig (Masai), Osiri (Luo), Ptar, Ptarra, Ptarri, Ptarro, Ptarru (Pokot), Ptarru (Turkana), Taragorgor (Somali), Ukusw'i (Kamba); Rwanda: Umugeyo (Kinyaruanda); Somalia: Gorgor (Boran); Sudan: Nyarenith (Didinga); Tanzania: Igeye (Kisukuma), Katatula (Nyam.), Kigara mangolala (Kikwere), Korrneta (Akie), Mguguye (Kisambaa), Mguguye (Kisukuma), Msewa (Zigua), Mshewa (Kishambaa), Mshewa (Pare), Msoma (Kisukuma), Mugeyengeye (Nyamw.), Muririandako (Tudiga), Mwambaovi (Kishaba), Mzeye (Kizinza), Nyawajand (Tang), Ol girigir, Oldepe, Olgirigiri, Riogiri (Masai), Usewa (Zaramo), Wait-a-bit thorn (English); Uganda: Akorao (Teso), Akurau (Akarimojong), Akurau (Akarimojong,Suk), Osiri (Luo). Species characteristics : A scrambling shrub or a non climbing shrub or tree to 7 m high, with grey brown branchlets covered with numerous red glands. One of the climbing group of Acacias with scattered prickles on the stems. Divided into two subspecies, they are seperated by the length of petioles and hairyness of leaflets. Subspecies brevispica is widespread in east and northeast Africa, and a distjunct extension into southern Angola. Subspecies dregeana is restricted to the eastern side of southern Africa, from the very south of Mozambique to Natal. Found commonly on stony rocky sites and also riverbanks, both taxa can form dense impenetrable thickets. Distribution: Angola (Huila); Burundi (Bubanza, Bujumbura); Ethiopia (Harerge, Shewa, Sidamo, Gamo Gofa, Welo, Ilubabor, Bale); Kenya (Turkana, Rift valley, Coast, Central, Masai, Kajiado, Machakos, Nyanza, Eastern, North Kavirondo, West Pokot, Nairobi, Kitui, Trans-Nzoia, Naivasha, Kiambu, South Kavirondo, Kisumu, Narok, Taita, Maralal, Samburu, Meru, Kwale, Moroto, Mandera, Moyale, West Suk, Baringo, Thika, North Nyeri, Voi, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Marsabit, Nithi); Rwanda (Biumba, Kibungu, Mutara); Somalia (Jubbada hoose, Bay, Woqooyi Galbeed, Gedo); South Africa (Weenen); Sudan (Equatoria); Swaziland (Hlatikula); Tanzania (Eastern, Bagamoyo, Handeni, Manyoni, Korogwe, Northern, Western, Uzaramo, Maswa, Lushoto, Iringa, Mbulu, Mwanza, Kigoma, Tabora, Shinyanga, Moshi, Masai, Arusha, Mpwapwa, Pare, Karagwe, Geita, Biharamulo, Chunya, Dodoma, Morogoro, Kilosa, Musoma/Maswa); Uganda (Karamoja, Moroto, Lango, Teso); Zaire (Lacs Edouard et Kivu); Central African Republic (Mbaiki). Specimen total: 358 Degree squares: 67 Collection years: 1842-1993 Phenology : Flowering period: Jan(12), Feb(27), Mar(24), Apr(19), May(20), Jun(19), Jul(18), Aug(22), Sep(19), Oct(15), Nov(22), Dec(15); Fruiting period: Jan(12), Feb(19), Mar(16), Apr(18), May(18), Jun(12), Jul(11), Aug(23), Sep(17), Oct(14), Nov(20), Dec(8) Altitude range: 30- (601-1800) -2134m

Specimen information

Collector
PS

Specimen Number
s.n.