Acacia nilotica subsp. tomentosa
(L.) Willd. ex Del.; (Benth.) Brenan
Gum arabic tree, Egyptian mimosa
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MBG
gbif· cc-by
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
gbif· cc-by-nc-sa
MBG
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
Edible Uses
The young pods are cooked and eaten, the seeds are roasted and serve as a spice, and the leaves are edible.
Traditional Uses
The young pods are cooked and eaten. The seeds are roasted and serve as a spice.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
Two new antiprotozoal diterpenes have been isolated from the root bark of Acacia nilotica.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in areas with annual rainfalls between 100-1,000 mm. It can grow in arid places.
Where It Grows
Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, West Africa,
Notes
There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.
Synonyms
References (3)
- Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 4
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 24, 50
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 26th April 2011]
