Trees & Plants

Sweet acacia

Baiy goanbili

Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.

Recently established in farming areas in some of the islands. Incursion may probably be through seeds transported along with cow dung. The bark and pods are sources of tannin used for dyeing leather. Bark exudate is a good substitute for gum Arabic. m Tender leaves are bruised wi

Details

§ 01

uses: The bark and pods are sources of tannin used for dyeing leather. Bark exudate is a good substitute for gum Arabic. m Tender leaves are bruised with a little water to and swallowed for gonorrhea. Essential oil from the flowers yields a pleasant perfume. a to
family: Fabaceae-Mimosoideae
synonym: Acacia acicularis Willd., Mimosa farnesiana L., Mimosa indica Poir.
description: Deciduous trees, to 10 m high; branchlets warty. Leaves pinnate to 5 in a cluster, 2-7 cm; pinnae 5 pairs, 1-2.5 × cm; leaflets 10-15 pairs, oblong, 5 1 mm, overlapping, glabrous, base truncate, margin entire, apex obtuse; petiole to 1.5 cm, with a gland near the middle; rachis stiff -pubescent; stipular thorns unequal, to 2 cm, straight. Flower-heads globose, 8 mm across, 2 or 3 in axillary cluster, to 2 cm; peduncle densely stiff -pubescent. Flowers 2 mm across.Calyx- tube 5-toothed, to 1.5 mm. Petals 5, yellow, to 2 mm. Stamens numerous, to 4 mm, basally connate. Ovary stipitate; style to 3 mm. Pod × terete, 5 0.5 cm, pulpy, turgid, horned; seeds 20 or more, globose, 0.5 mm, 2-seriate.
native range: Tropical and subtropical America
distribution: Widespread in the tropics
english names: Sweet acacia · Cassie flower · Perfumed wattle · Needle bush
flowering fruiting: September- January
occurrence maldives: Recently established in farming areas in some of the islands. Incursion may probably be through seeds transported along with cow dung.