Senegalia pennata

Senegalia pennata (English: climbing wattle, Vietnamese: rau thối, Thai: ชะอม cha-om, Northeastern Thai: ผักขา phak kha, Northern Thai: ผักหละ phak la, Burmese: ဆူးပုပ်, pronounced [sʰúboʊʔ]; Khmer: ស្អំ; Meiteilon : khang, Thadou-Kuki: khang-khu, Paite Language: Khangkhuh, Mizo: Khanghu, Hmar: khanghmuk,Vaiphei: Khangkhu, Biate: khang-hu, Malay: petai duri or petai siam), is a species of plant which is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is a shrub or small tropical tree which grows up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height. Its leaves are bipinnate with linear-oblong and glabrous pinnules. Its yellowish flowers are terminal panicles with globose heads. The pods are thin, flat and long with thick sutures.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The leaves are twice divided. The flowers are yellow and in round heads at the ends of branches. The pods are thin and flat.

Edible Uses

In Northeast India, in the states of Mizoram and Manipur, climbing wattle is an ingredient in indigenous cuisine like kaang-hou (fried vegetables) and eromba. The plant is locally known as khanghmuk in Hmar, khang in Meiteilon and khanghu in Mizo. In Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, the feathery shoots of Senegalia pennata are used in soups, curries, omelettes and stir-fries. The edible shoots are picked up before they become tough and thorny. In Northern Thai cuisine, cha-om is also eaten raw with Thai salads, such as tam mamuang (mango salad), and it is one of the ingredients of kaeng khae curry. In Central Thailand and Isan it is usually boiled or fried. Cha-om omelet pieces are one of the usual ingredients of nam phrik pla thu and commonly used in kaeng som, a sour Thai curry. In Vietnam, the plant is cultivated in the Northwest region such as Sơn La and Lai Châu provinces, by the Thái and Khơ Mú ethnic groups as a delicacy vegetable. The leaves have a distinctively stinky odor, and are used in salads (especially with mountain ebony flowers - Bauhinia variegata), as well as in stir-fries, grilled fish, pork or buffalo dishes.

Traditional Uses

The young shoots are cooked and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of body pain, fevers and headaches. The leaf juice, combined with milk, is given to infants suffering from indigestion. The leaves are chewed with cumin and sugar to treat bleeding gums. A poultice made from the fresh seeds is used as applied to burns. The juice of the bark is used as an antidote in the treatment of snake poisoning. A paste made from the bark is applied topically to treat conditions such as scabies, cuts and wounds. The bark of all Acacia species contains greater or lesser quantities of tannins and are astringent. Astringents are often used medicinally - taken internally, for example. they are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in cases of internal bleeding. Applied externally, often as a wash, they are used to treat wounds and other skin problems, haemorrhoids, perspiring feet, some eye problems, as a mouth wash etc. Many Acacia trees also yield greater or lesser quantities of a gum from the trunk and stems. This is sometimes taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and haemorrhoids.

Known Hazards

In eastern Himalaya and north-eastern India, bark and pounded seeds are used as fish poison. Especially in times of drought, many Acacia species can concentrate high levels of the toxin Hydrogen cyanide in their foliage, making them dangerous for herbivores to eat.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand,

Cultivation

A very troublesome climber which should be cut whenever possible, as it climbs over the tallest trees, and its tough, wiry, strong, thorny branches damage them considerably. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagation

The seed of most, if not all, members of this genus 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. Acacia seeds that have matured fully on the bush and have been properly dried have a hard seed coat and can be stored in closed containers without deterioration for 5 - 10 years or more in dry conditions at ambient temperatures. It is best to remove the aril, which attracts weevils and can lead to moulds forming. The arils are easilyremoved by placing the seeds in water and rubbing them between the hands, then drying the seeds and winnowing them.

Other Uses

The bark (containing 90% tannin) is used for tanning fishing nets in India (Mombai). The juice of the seeds is rich in saponins and is used as a soap. The reddish-brown, porous wood is moderately hard. Though loose in texture, it is a rather nice wood, which, if carefully cut to show the silver-grain properly, would make pretty frames, boxes, and similar articles. Cultivated as hedge plant in India and SE Asia. The young shoots can be trimmed and applied direct to the ground as a green manure.

Also Known As

Cha-om, Khang, Khanghmuk, Khanghu

References (2)

• Meitei, L. R., et al, 2022, An ethnobotanical study on the wild edible plants used by forest dwellers in Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary, Manipur, India. Ethnobotany Research and Application 23:15
• World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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