Acacia eburnea

(L. f.) Willd.

Pahari kikar

Fabaceae Edible: Fungus gall, Fruit, Pod

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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

V. karroo is used for chemical products, forage, domestic uses, environmental management, fibre, food, drink, and wood. The tough wood is white to slightly yellowish in colour, rarely producing dark brown heartwood. It is widely cultivated in Asia, Australia, the Mediterranean region, India and the Indian Ocean area. The large thorns mean that the tree must be approached, and the branches handled, carefully.

Traditional Uses

The fruit or pods are cooked as a vegetable.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

This species, especially the bark (which can be chewed safely), is also used to treat oral thrush and ulcers. The roots are also used medicinally. They may be chewed for use as an aphrodisiac or powdered and used for dizziness. The gum, bark and leaves have been used as a soothing agent and astringent for colds, conjunctivitis and hemorrhage in other regions of Southern Africa. The bark and leaves have also been used to treat convulsions and stomach problems (including nausea) and as a coagulant. The thorns were used by early naturalists to pin the insects they collected. It is very widespread throughout southern Africa and there are different forms in some places, which can be confusing. Vachellia karroo may be found from the Western Cape through to Zambia and Angola. In tropical Africa it is replaced by Vachellia seyal. The name acacia is derived from Greek "akis" a point or barb. Karroo is one of the old spellings of karoo which cannot be corrected because of the laws governing botanical nomenclature (giving of names).

Distribution

In India fungus gall grows on this plant. It is Revenella esculenta Nar. It is edible. The tree grows in dry regions.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Arabia, Asia, Himalayas, India, Indonesia, Middle East, Nepal, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sri Lanka,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown by seed.

Notes

There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.

Synonyms

Mimosa eburnea Linn. f.

Also Known As

Kal edai, Marmati, Murmata, Murmati, Udai vel

References (5)

Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 5
Gunjatkar, N., & Vartak, V.D., 1982, Enumeration of wild edible legumes from Pune District, Maharashtra State. J.Econ. Tax. Bot. Vol 3 pp 1-9
Prachi, K., et al, 2012, Underutilized wild fruits of North Maharashtra. Journal of Research in Plant Sciences. (2012) 1:071-076
Sp. pl. 4(2):1081. 1806
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 99