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Vachellia karroo (Hayne) Banfi & Galasso

Derivation of specific name

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
karroo: from the Karroo region of South Africa
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Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Acacia karroo Hayne Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=125990
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Mark Hyde
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Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
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Description

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Small to medium-sized tree. The bark of young branches is distinctly orange-red. Thorns are opposite, straight, up to 5 cm long, whitish with dark tips, often inflated along the length. Inflorescences at the ends of new branches, showy. Flowers golden yellow, sweetly scented. Pods slender, sickle-shaped, slightly constricted between the seeds.
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cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Acacia karroo Hayne Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=125990
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Frequency

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Common
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cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Acacia karroo Hayne Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=125990
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Insects whose larvae eat this plant species

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Azanus jesous (Topaz-spotted blue) Anthene amarah amarah (Black-striped hairtail)
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cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Acacia karroo Hayne Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=125990
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Worldwide distribution

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa.
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Acacia karroo Hayne Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=125990
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Vachellia karroo

provided by wikipedia EN

Vachellia karroo, (synonym Acacia karroo} commonly known as the sweet thorn, common acacia, Karoo thorn, Cape gum or cockspur thorn, is a species of Vachellia, in the Mimosa sub-family (Mimosoideae) of the Fabaceae or pea family, which is native to southern Africa from southern Angola east to Mozambique, and south to South Africa.[3]

It is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree which grows to height of 12m.[4] It is difficult to tell apart from Vachellia nilotica subsp. adstringens without examining the seed pods. The Botanical Society of South Africa has accepted a name change to Vachellia karroo.[5]

Common names in various languages include doringboom, soetdoring, cassie, piquants blancs, cassie piquants blancs, deo-babool, doorn boom, kaludai, kikar, mormati, pahari kikar, umga and udai vel.[2]

Identification

Close-up of flower heads, thorns and leaves
Golden-coloured flower heads
Close-up of flower heads

It is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree which grows to height of 12m. Vachellia karroo has a rounded crown, branching fairly low down on the trunk. It is variable in shape and size, reaching a maximum of about 12m where there is good water. The bark is red on young branches, darkening and becoming rough with age. Sometimes an attractive reddish colour can be seen in the deep bark fissures The leaves are finely textured and dark green. The abundant yellow flowers appear in early summer, or after good rains. The seed pods are narrow, flat and crescent shaped. They are green when young becoming brown and dry. The pods split open allowing the seeds to fall to the ground. The formidable thorns are paired, greyish to white and are long and straight; up to ten inches (250 mm) in length,[6] the longest simple thorn of any Dicot.

Distribution

It is a tree of open woodland and wooded grassland. It grows to its greatest size when rainfall of 800-900mm is received but can grow and even thrive in very dry conditions such as the Karoo region of western South Africa. The requirement here is for deep soils that allow its roots to spread. Everywhere in its range, however, the tree is easily recognised by its distinctive long white paired thorns and coffee coloured bark, both of which are very attractive. In the tropics it shows little variation but at the southern end of its range it becomes more variable in appearance.

Adaptations

Vachellia karroo has a life span of 30–40 years and is an adaptable pioneer, able to establish itself without shade, shelter or protection from grass fires. Once over a year old, seedlings can resprout after fire. Several fungi are associated with this tree and the crown of mature trees may be parasitized by various mistletoes, leading to the tree's decline. This tree has a long taproot which enables it to use water and nutrients from deep underground, this and its ability to fix nitrogen, lead to grasses and other plants thriving in its shade.

The tree has been noted to occur in the Torre del Mar area, near Malaga, Spain. Here it grows freely as a large shrub on waste ground. It has been used as hedging to keep out goats from vegetable plots. Flowers during July.

Uses

native range
introduced to region
Winter habit of tree

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.[2] The large thorns mean that the tree must be approached, and the branches handled, carefully.

Food

As is common in acacias, edible gum seeps from cracks in the tree's bark, and is an important part of the bushbaby's winter diet. The gum can be used to manufacture candy (see Gum arabic) and used to have economic importance as "Cape Gum". In dry areas, the tree's presence is a sign of water, both above and underground. [7]

Forage and fodder

The tree is especially useful as forage and fodder for domestic and wild animals. Apparently, there is no risk of poisoning from it. Goats seem to like V. karroo better than cattle.[8] The small pom-pom shaped yellow flowers are attractive in mid-summer. The flowers make it a very good source of forage for honey bees; honey from it has a pleasant taste.

Wood and bark

V. karroo is an excellent source of firewood and charcoal.[8] The wood is also used for fencing posts for cattle byres or kraals. The heartwood has a density of about 800 kg/m3. A tough rope can be made from the inside bark of the tree.[9]

Traditional medicine

This species, especially the bark (which can be chewed safely), is also used to treat oral thrush and ulcers.[10] The roots are also used medicinally. They may be chewed for use as an aphrodisiac or powdered and used for dizziness.[10] 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.[11] The bark and leaves have also been used to treat convulsions and stomach problems (including nausea) and as a coagulant.[10]

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).[11]

Bans

Notifiable in NSW, Australia. It is illegal to not notify the NSW government of the existence of this plant.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vachellia karroo.
  1. ^ "Acacia karroo Hayne". The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c ILDIS LegumeWeb: Vachellia karroo
  3. ^ "Vachellia karroo (as Acacia karroo)". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  4. ^ Department of the Environment and Heritage and the CRC for Australian Weed Management, 2003 Archived 3 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Name changes in African Acacia species: Plant name changes". Veld & Flora. 100.
  6. ^ Carr, J.D. (1976). The South African Acacias. Johannesburg: Conservation Press. p. 71.
  7. ^ "Vachellia karroo | PlantZAfrica.com". www.plantzafrica.com. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  8. ^ a b World AgroForestry Centre
  9. ^ "Tables(Cont. a)". www.fao.org. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Cumes, David (2009). Healing trees & plants of the Lowveld. Rael Loon, Dries Bester. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature. ISBN 978-1-77007-833-8. OCLC 506229195.
  11. ^ a b Joffe, Pitta: Indigenous Plants of South Africa, 2007, Briza Publications, p87

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Wikipedia authors and editors
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wikipedia EN

Vachellia karroo: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Vachellia karroo, (synonym Acacia karroo} commonly known as the sweet thorn, common acacia, Karoo thorn, Cape gum or cockspur thorn, is a species of Vachellia, in the Mimosa sub-family (Mimosoideae) of the Fabaceae or pea family, which is native to southern Africa from southern Angola east to Mozambique, and south to South Africa.

It is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree which grows to height of 12m. It is difficult to tell apart from Vachellia nilotica subsp. adstringens without examining the seed pods. The Botanical Society of South Africa has accepted a name change to Vachellia karroo.

Common names in various languages include doringboom, soetdoring, cassie, piquants blancs, cassie piquants blancs, deo-babool, doorn boom, kaludai, kikar, mormati, pahari kikar, umga and udai vel.

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cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
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wikipedia EN