Vachellia reficiens

Vachellia reficiens (Afrikaans: Rooihak, German: Rotrindenakazie), commonly known as red-bark acacia, red thorn,[2] false umbrella tree,[2] or false umbrella thorn,[3] is a deciduous tree or shrub of the pea family (Fabaceae) native to southern Africa, often growing in an upside-down cone shape and with a relatively flat crown.

Vachellia reficiens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Rosids
Order:
Fabales
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Vachellia
Species:
V. reficiens
Binomial name
Vachellia reficiens
(Wawra) Kyal. & Boatwr.[1]
subspecies
  • Vachellia reficiens subsp. misera (Vatke) Kyal. & Boatwr.
  • Vachellia reficiens subsp. reficiens (Wawra) Kyal. & Boatwr.
Synonyms
  • Acacia reficiens Wawra

Taxonomy

The Austrian naturalist Heinrich Wawra von Fernsee described Vachellia reficiens (as Acacia reficiens) in 1859. It forms a species complex with V. luederitzii, also from central and southern Africa.[4] Two subspecies exist: V. reficiens subspecies reficiens, which found in Angola and southwestern Africa,[4] and has affinities to V. luederitzii,[5] and V. reficiens subsp. misera which is found in eastern Africa, from Sudan and Somalia through Kenya and into Uganda,[4] and has affinities to V. etbaica.[5] With the re-typification of the genus Acacia[6] this species was placed in Vachellia.[7]

Description

Vachellia reficiens can grow up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height. Its bark is reddish-brown or greyish-black, and is quite rough and fissured. The younger growing branches can have a purple-red appearance, hence its common names. An interesting characteristic about this plant is that it has both, long, straight thorns and shorter curved/hook-like thorns, but generally not both in one pair. Leaves are bipinnately compound (as is common in most African acacia species) with 1 to 4 pinnae pairs, where each pinna again has 5 to 13 leaflet pairs. The flowers are white- to cream-coloured, and mostly seen during the summer months of December and January, but they can blossom almost all year round, depending on the geographical location. The fruit is a flat red-brown pod.

Distribution and habitat

Vachellia reficiens is found in the drier areas of Africa, in countries like Angola, South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia. This plant seems to prefer rocky soil-types and it does not grow in high-rainfall areas, but rather in semi-desert and arid shrubland.

It is an abundant dominant species of arid shrubland throughout Kenya,[8] and it forms up to 30% of total woody canopy in the South Turkana Ecosystem in the Turkana District.[9]

Ecology

This tree's leaves are browsed upon by game and small livestock like the Greater Kudu and goats.[9] In some areas of Namibia and Kenya, Vachellia reficiens subsp. reficiens is considered an invasive species as it can encroach on areas of farmland, especially on disturbed soil.[3] It is very opportunistic and hardy and can subsequently take over large areas of native vegetation.

Uses

The nomadic Ngisonyoka people in the Turkana District of Kenya use Vachellia reficiens wood to build temporary houses.[9] In Namibia's Kaokoveld region, the branches of this tree are used for fencing and the bark is used to curdle milk, while the thorns can be used to pierce ears. The seeds can be baked in hot ash, crushed, ground and mixed with tobacco to use as snuff.[10] The Giriama people use the wood for firewood and charcoal, and straight stems for poles.[11]

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See also
  • Mannheimer, C. A. & Curtis, B. A. (eds) 2009. Le Roux and Müller’s Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia. Windhoek: Macmillan Education Namibia.

References
  1. Kyalangalilwa B, Boatwright JS, Daru BH, Maurin O, van der Bank M (2013). "Phylogenetic position and revised classification of Acacia s.l. (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) in Africa, including new combinations in Vachellia and Senegalia". Bot J Linn Soc. 172 (4): 500–523. doi:10.1111/boj.12047.
  2. Wiegand, Kerstin; David Saltz; David Ward; Simon A. Levin (2008). "The role of size inequality in self-thinning: A pattern-oriented simulation model for arid savannas". Ecological Modelling. 210 (4): 431–445. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2007.08.027.
  3. Bester, F. V. (1999). "Major problem-bush species and densities in Namibia" (PDF). Agricola. 10: 1–3.
  4. Ross, J. H.; Brenan, J. P. M. (1967). "Notes on Mimosoïdeae: X". Kew Bulletin. 21 (1): 67–73. doi:10.2307/4108432. JSTOR 4108432.
  5. "Vachellia reficiens (as Acacia reficiens)". Zipcodezoo.com. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  6. International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code). Regnum Vegetabile 146. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag KG
  7. Maslin, B.R. 2008. Generic and subgeneric names in Acacia following retypification of the genus. Muelleria 26: 7–9.
  8. Forest Resources Division (December 2001). "State of Forest Genetic Resources in Kenya". Working papers FGR/18E. Rome, Italy: FAO. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  9. Coughenour, Michael B.; Ellis, James E.; Pop, Robert G. (1990). "Morphometric Relationships and Developmental Patterns of Acacia tortilis and Acacia reficiens in Southern Turkana, Keny". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 117 (1): 8–17. doi:10.2307/2997124. JSTOR 2997124.
  10. Sjöskog, Maja (2012). "Plants Around Gobabeb". Gobabeb Training & Research Centre. p. 101. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  11. Pakia, Mohamed. "Plant Ecology and Ethnobotany of Two Sacred Forests (Kayas) at the Kenya Coast" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2012.
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