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Acacia erioloba

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Acacia erioloba

Acacia erioloba Camel Thorn

Acacia erioloba Camel Thorn

Seeds and pods

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

Division:

Magnoliophyta

Class:

Magnoliopsida

Order:

Fabales

Family:

Fabaceae

Subfamily:

Mimosoideae

Tribe:

Acacieae

Genus:

Acacia

Species:

A. erioloba

Binomial name

Acacia erioloba
Meyer, Ernst Heinrich Friedrich (1791-1858)

 

Plants of the genus Alhagi are also sometimes called camelthorns or camel thorns

 

Acacia erioloba (formerly Acacia giraffae), and commonly known as the Camel Thorn (Kameeldoring in Afrikaans) or Giraffe Thorn, is a thorn acacia native to the drier parts of Southern Africa - the Transvaal, western Free State, northern Cape Province, Botswana and Namibia. It can grow up to 17 metres high. It was described by William John Burchell, however Jacobus Coetse already named the tree in 1760, some 50 years earlier.

The name refers to the fact that giraffe (kameelperd in Afrikaans) commonly graze on the hard-to-reach succulent leaves normally out of reach of smaller animals. Giraffe are partial to all acacias and possess a specially-adapted tongue and lips that can cope with the vicious thorns. It also grows ear-shaped pods, which are favoured by a large number of herbivores including cattle. The wood is dark reddish-brown in colour and extremely dense and strong. Unfortunately it is a very good fuel, which leads to widespread clearing of dead trees and the felling of healthy trees. It is slow-growing, very hardy to drought and fairly frost-resistant.

According to superstition, lighting will strike at A. erioloba more readily than other trees. It is also possible to roast the seeds to be used as a substitute for coffee beans.

 

 

 

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Acacia_erioloba&action=history

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