Albizia boivinii
(DC.) Baill.
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(c) Landy Rita, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk can be 40 cm across. The leaves are alternate and twice divided. There are 2-3 pairs of leaflets. The fruit is an oblong flat pod. It is 10-29 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. There are several oblong black seeds,
Edible Uses
The leaves are eaten.
Medicinal Uses
Seed extracts are toxic to mice, and showed haemolytic activity in red blood cells of sheep as well as antibacterial activity against several pathogenic bacteria.
Known Hazards
Seed extracts are toxic to mice.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows up to 1,800 m above sea level on sandy soils.
Where It Grows
Africa, Madagascar, Tanzania,
Cultivation
The plant is found mainly on sandy soils in the wild.
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
Other Uses
Pod extracts showed toxicity against crab brood and inhibit germination of rice and bean seeds. The whitish to slightly pinkish wood is soft and easy to work. Durability low, the wood being liable to fungal attack and susceptible to termites and Lyctus borers. The wood is used for making dugout canoes, and is suitable for peeled veneer and plywood corestock. The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal.
Notes
There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Acacia zygia (DC.) Baillon ex Drake is an accepted name in The Plant List but Acacia zygia (DC.) Baill. is a synonym of Albizia boivinii. Also as Mimosaceae.
Synonyms
References (1)
- Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 197 (As Acacia boivinii (DC.) Baill.)
