Family: Fabaceae |
Based on Thulin's descriptions of Acacia species 22-39 in Flora of Somalia Plants shrubs or trees 0.5-30 m tall; branchlets glabrous to puberulent or pubescent, occasionally with long spreading hairs or even tomentose. Prickles sometimes present, paired and recurved. Leaves petiolate, stipulate, evenly twice-pinnate: stipules spinescent, 0.3-12 cm long, , sometimes conspicuously swollen at the base, usually straight but sometimes curved, if curved, less than 2 cm long; petioles sometimes with a gland; pinnae 1-10(-18) pairs, each with 2-15(-27) pairs of leaflets. Inflorescences usually capitate and pedunculate, peduncle0.3-5.5 cm long, sometimes spicate, spikes 1.8-12 cm long. Flowers small, usuall whitish, sometimes bright yellow or ; calyces united, 2-3mm long; corollas usually white, cream or yellow, sometimes reddish or purplish white. Pods ovate to elongate, 1-20 cm long, 0.4-3 cm wide, straight, curved, falcate to spirally twisted or contorted, dehiscent or indehiscent. Vachellia is represented by about 75 species in Africa. It is very similar to Senegalia but all its members have spinescent stipules. A few species of Vachellia have both spinescent stipules and pairs of recurved prickles. The spinescent stipules can be long, straight, and capable of penetrating the bases of shoes but are sometimes less than 1 cm long, varying from straight to slightly curved. The pods are also very variable, varying from dehiscent to indeshiscent and from straight or slightly curved to falcate, spirally coiled or contorted. Vachellia also differs from Senegalia in their most common inflorescence type. Most species of Vachellia have pedunculate, headlike inflorescences; most species of Senegallia have spicate inflorescences. Key to the species of Vachellia in Somaliland and Somalia. Global distribution of Vachellia. Note: GBIF records include introduced and cultivated plants. Consequently, the distribution shown often differs from statements about a taxon's native distribution. Vachellia differs from other segregates of Acacia s.l. in the following combination of features:
Vachellia corresponds to Acacia subg. Vachellia. Some taxa may still be listed on this site as Acacia. To have them changed, please email mary.barkworth usu.edu. If there is a name in Vaccehllia, the change will be made. OpenHerbarium is not the appropriate place to publish a new name or combination. |