See Faidherbia albida for page from SANBI

Faidherbia albida is an economically important tree. The pods containing seeds and leaves are relished by livestock, which may also disperse the seeds. It is an important source of protein for livestock during the dry season. It enriches the soil, particularly with nitrogen and calcium. In times of shortage, seeds and pods are eaten by people. Its timber is good for wood carving, while its expansive shade affords a space conducive for meetings.

In November 2021, the IUCN ranked Faidherbia albida as "LC", meaning it is of low concern. Despite this, it was considered to be of considerable concern to Somaliland pastoralists interviewed in 2021.

Thulin, M (1993) Fabaceae in Flora of Somalia 1: 341-465

Plants trees up to 30 m tall, with more or less rounded crowns; bark rough, dark-brown or greyish; branchlets straw-colored or whitish; stipular spines up to 2 cm long, straight. Leaves with 3-10 pairs of pinnae, their axes with a conspicuous gland at the junction of each pair but petioles without glands; leaflets 6-23 pairs per pinna 3.5-6(-12) mm long, 0.7-2.25(-4) mm wide. Inflorescences spikes 3.5-14 cm long. Flowers shortly pedicellate; calyces up to 2 mm long; corollas up to 3.5 mm long; filaments basally connate; anthers without glands, even in buds. Pods falcate or coiled, indehiscent, 6-25 cm long, 2-3.5 cm wide, bright orange or purplish brown; seeds elliptic-lentitular, 9-11 mm long, 6-8 mm wide; areoles 7-9 mm long, 4-6 mm wide.

Faidherbia albida grows in woodlands and grasslands, in seasonally water-logged ground at about 1500 m. It is often leafless during the rainy season. According to the Flora of Somalia, it grows only in region N1 of the Flora, in other words, only in western Somaliland, but it is is widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa. The above description is the same as that for the genus because Faidherbia includes only one species.

©Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Reproduced with permission. 

Faidherbia albida is large deciduous legume tree, 30m high. An unusual characteristic is that it is leafless throughout the rainy season and comes into leaf during the dry period when most of the trees shed their leaves. It is nitrogen-fixing and an important agroforestry tree. The fact that it is bare of leaves during rainy season makes it an ideal agroforestry tree as this minimizes competition for sunlight with other plants. In Somaliland, this species is confined to Dilla valley in Awdal area.