Acacia senegal

(Click image to Enlarge)

Photographs by: Dr. Maulik Gadani

  • Botanical Name : Acacia senegal (L.) Willd
  • Synonyms : Mimosa senegal L.
  • Common Name : Goradiyo Baval, Gum Arabic
  • Plant Family : Mimosaceae
  • Plant Form : Tree
  • Occurrence (Special Areas) : Sarita Udyan

About Acacia senegal Plant :

  • Habit : A tall-armed deciduous tree with rough, rusty brown bark, 3-6 m. high, distinct stipular spines in threes.
  • Stem : Glaucous-grey, aerial, erect, branched.
  • Leaves : Bipinnate, leaf stalk downy, one gland on the petiole and one between the uppermost pair of pinnae, pinnae 3-5 pairs, 1.5-2 cm long.
  • Inflorescence : Spikes.
  • Flowers :
    • Flowers fragrant, white or creamy white in 6-10 cm long, axillary, solitary or 2-3 fascicled spikes.
    • Complete, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, hypogynous.
    • Androecium consists of many stamens.
  • Fruits : Pods thin, flat,glabrous when old, linear-oblong or lanceolate, reticulate.
  • Seeds : 5-6.
  • Flowering and Fruiting time : August - April
  • Significance :
    • The gum of this tree forms the true Gum Arabic of commerce, but is often mixed with the gums of several other species of Acacia.
    • The gum is used both internally and externally as a demulcent and emollient.
    • The wood is used in making tool handles.