Family:
Fabaceae Lindl.
Genus:
Faidherbia A.Chev.

Faidherbia albida (Delile) A.Chev.

This species is accepted, and its native range is Lebanon to Iran and Africa.

[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Sahelian regional transition zone : woodland., Zambezian woodland, Sudanian woodland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub/Tree
Vernacular
Ana Tree, Apple Ring Acacia, Winter Thorn

[FSOM]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Tree up to 30 m high, with ± rounded crown; bark rough, dark brown or greyish; branchlets straw-coloured or whitish
Morphology General Spines
Stipular spines up to c. 2 cm long, straight
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with pinnae 3–10 pairs; rhachis with a conspicuous gland at the junction of each pinna pair, but petiole eglandular; leaflets 6–23 pairs, 3.5–6(–12) x 0.7–2.25(–4) mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellowish-white, sessile or shortly pedicellate, in spikes 3.5–14 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx up to 2 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla up to 3.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments basally connate; anthers eglandular even in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods falcate or coiled, indehiscent, 6–25 x 2–3.5 cm, bright orange or purplish-brown
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds elliptic-lenticular, 9–11 x 6–8 mm; areole 7–9 x 4–6 mm.
Distribution
N1 widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa, also in W Asia.
Ecology
Altitude range c. 1500 m.
Note
Garabi (Som.). A. albida displays a number of unusual characters, such as eglandular petiole, basally connate filaments, and eglandular anthers. It is not closely related to any other species of Acacia and should be placed in the monotypic genus Faidherbia.

[FWTA]

Mimosaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
A tree, up to 80 ft.
Morphology Trunk
Large straight bole, up to 10 ft. in girth, and rounded crown
Morphology General Bark
Bark of twigs pale grey, of bole thick, brown, fissured
Morphology General Spines
Spines white
Morphology Leaves
Leaves glaucous green
Note
Leafless during rainy season
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers cream, becoming yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit orange when mature.

[FZ]

Leguminosae, J.P.M. Brenan. Flora Zambesiaca 3:1. 1970

Morphology General Habit
Tree 6-30 m. high, with rough dark-brown or greenish-grey bark and spreading branches; young branchlets ashen to whitish.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules spinescent, up to 1·3(2·3) cm. long, straight, never enlarged and inflated; no prickles below the stipules.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves: rhachis with a single conspicuous gland at the junction of each of the (2)3-10 pairs of pinnae; no gland on the petiole; leaflets 6-23 pairs, (2·5)3·5-9(14) x 0·7-3(5) mm., rounded to subacute and mucronate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers cream, sessile or to 0·5(2) mm. pedicellate, in inflorescences 3·5-14 cm. long on peduncles 1·3-3·5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 1-1·7(2·5) mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 3-3·5(4·5) mm. long, with 5 lobes 1·5-2·5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamen-filaments 4-6 mm. long, connate for c. 1 mm. at the base; anthers 0·2-0·4 mm. across, eglandular even in bud.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods bright orange, thick, indehiscent, 6-25 x (1·5)2-3·5(5) cm., glabrous or very rarely puberulous, falcate or curled into a circular coil.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 9-11 x 6-8 mm., elliptic-lenticular; central areole large, 7-9 x 4-6 mm.

[FTEA]

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Tree 6–30 m. high with rough, dark brown or greenish-grey bark and spreading branches.
Morphology Branches
Young branchlets ashen to whitish.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules spinescent, up to 1.3(–2.3) cm. long, straight, never enlarged and inflated; no prickles below the stipules.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves:rhachis with a single conspicuous gland at junction of each of the (2–)3–10 pairs of pinnae; no gland on petiole; leaflets 6–23 pairs, (2.5–)3.5–6(–12) mm. long, 0.7–2.25(–4) mm. wide, rounded to subacute and mucronate at apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers cream, sessile or to 0.5(–2.0) mm. pedicellate, in inflorescences 3.5–14 cm. long on peduncles 1.3–3.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 1–1.7(–2.5) mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 3–3.5(–4.5) mm. long, with 5 lobes 1.5–2.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamen-filaments 4–5 mm. long, tubular for about 1 mm. at base; anthers 0.2–0.4 mm. across, eglandular even in bud.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods (Fig. 14/1, p. 52) bright orange, thick, indehiscent, glabrous or very rarely puberulous, falcate or curled into a circular coil, 6–25 cm. long, (1.8–)2–3.5(–5) cm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds elliptic-lenticular, 9–11 mm. long, 6–8 mm. wide; central areole large, 7–9 × 4–6 mm.
Habitat
Riverine and ground-water forest and woodland; 600–1830 m.
Distribution
K3 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 U4 widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa from Egypt, Senegal and the Gambia southwards to Bechuanaland, the Transvaal and Natalalso in Syria, Palestine and (? native) in Cyprus

[ILDIS]
Use
Domestic, Environmental, Food and Drink, Forage, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Toxins, Wood

Native to:

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Central African Repu, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Iran, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Ascension, Cape Verde, Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Yemen

Faidherbia albida (Delile) A.Chev. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Mar 29, 2016 Andru, J. [3301], Senegal K001105810
Dec 12, 2014 Bari, Abdullah [M7-C38], Mali K001041016
Jan 1, 2009 Gossweiler, J. [11031], Angola K001276764
Jan 1, 2009 Gossweiler, J. [4932], Angola K001276761
Jan 1, 2009 Yeates, M. [88/Mali/2], Mali K000635110
Jan 1, 2009 Gossweiler, J. [1719], Angola K001276762
Jan 1, 2009 Gossweiler, J. [3624], Angola K001276763
Jan 1, 1963 Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. [4383], Burkina Faso Acacia albida K000386659
Sieber [45], Senegal Acacia albida K000232646
Sieber [45], Senegal Acacia albida K000232647
Heudelot [391], Senegal Acacia albida K000232651
Robert [s.n.], Senegal Acacia albida K000232650
Brunner [72], Senegal Acacia albida K000232648
Montbret [391], Senegal Acacia albida K000232649
Ward [65], Senegal Acacia albida K000232665
Pfund, J. [17], Sudan Acacia albida K000244208
Pfund, J. [87], Sudan Acacia albida K000244209
Schweinfurth, G. [623], Sudan Acacia albida K000244211
Schweinfurth, G. [534], Sudan Acacia albida K000244210
Schimper [1333], Ethiopia Acacia albida K000244212
Schimper [33], Ethiopia Acacia albida K000244213
Wild, H. [2488], Zimbabwe Acacia albida K000244321
Dubois, R. [213], Mali Acacia albida K000386660

First published in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 14: 876 (1934)

Accepted by

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Barry, J. P. & Celles, J.S. (1991). Flore de Mauritanie 1: 1-359. Centre Regional de Documentation Pedagogique, Nice.
  • Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.
  • Boulos, L. (1999). Flora of Egypt 1: 1-419. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2012). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 4: 1-431. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Govaerts, R. (2001). World Checklist of Seed Plants Database in ACCESS E-F: 1-50919.
  • Greuter, W., Burdet, H.M. & Long, G. (eds.) (1989). Med-checklist 4: 1-458. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève.
  • Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Lebrun, J.p., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-list: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.

Not accepted by

  • Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort. [Cited as Acacia albida.]

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 3: 1-89. ORSTROM, Bangui.
  • Brenan, J.P.M. (1970). Flora Zambesiaca 3(1): 1-153. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
  • Greuter, W., Burdet, H.M. & Long, G. (eds.) (1989). Med-checklist 4: 1-458. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève.
  • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1989 publ. 1990). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 3: 1-659. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-list: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Milgahid, A.M. (1989). Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3, 2: 1-282. University Libraries, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • Packer, J.E. (1974). Ascension Handbook. A concise guide to Ascension Island South Atlantic ed. 2 Packer, Georgetown.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

International Legume Database and Information Service

  • Anonymous (1979). Tropical Legumes:Resources for the Future. Washington.
  • Bailey, L. H. & Bailey, E. Z. (1976). Hortus Third. New York: Macmillan
  • Ross, J. H. (1979). Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Afr. 44:1-150. A conspectus of African Acacia.
  • Skerman, P. J. (1987). Tropical forage Legumes. New York.
  • Wickens, G. E. (1969). Kew Bull. 23:181-202. A study of Acacia albida

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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  • Flora of Somalia

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  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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  • International Legume Database and Information Service

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    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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