Vachellia oerfota
| Vachellia oerfota | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Vachellia |
| Species: | V. oerfota
|
| Binomial name | |
| Vachellia oerfota | |
| Varieties[3] | |
| |
| Range of Vachellia oerfota | |
| Synonyms[3][4] | |
|
Species synonyms:
Synonyms of var. brevifolia:
Synonyms of var. oerfota:
| |
Vachellia oerfota is a species of shrub or tree native to northeastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Iran.[3]
Botanical description
It is a somewhat obconical shrub which grows up to about 5 metres high.[5] The branches often radiate from the base in all directions. The branchlets tend to be straight and are grey-white, with grey-white spines with brown tips, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long. The pinnae are in 3 to 12 pairs, with leaflets in 5 to 15 pairs, about 0.3 cm long.[6] The flowers are off-white in globose heads, and are very fragrant Pods are 5 to 10 cm long, 1.25 cm broad and pale yellow, pointed at both ends. The seeds are olive-green, with five to ten in a pod.[7] It has an offensive smell when bruised or cut.
Distribution
Vachellia oerfota occurs mainly on alluvial silt soils. It is native to north-eastern Africa from Egypt to Chad and Tanzania, and to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.[3]
Varieties
Two varieties are accepted.[3]
- Vachellia oerfota var. brevifolia (Boulos) Kyal. & Boatwr. – Somalia, western Socotra Archipelago incl. incl. Abd al Kuri, Oman, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia
- Vachellia oerfota var. oerfota – northeastern Africa from Egypt to Chad and Tanzania, Socotra Archipelago, Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen), and Iran
Uses
It is an important legume tree commonly browsed by goats and camels in Africa. It is valued as a fodder by pastoralists.[8] The leaves and pods are high in calcium, and the leaves are a good source of phosphorus.[9]
The bark extract is said to have medicinal value amongst the Borana of Ethiopia, where it is boiled amongst other things for colds.[10] Amongst the Samburu of Kenya is used for "women's stomach pain, hetpatitis, fever and gonorrhoea".[11] It is used in making beverages.[12] The bark is peeled, soaked in water and drunk as tea.
References
- ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. 2019. Acacia oerfota. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T144295594A149041305. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T144295594A149041305.en. Accessed 23 March 2026.
- ^ 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. hdl:10566/3454.
- ^ a b c d e "Vachellia oerfota (Forssk.) Kyal. & Boatwr". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ^ "Vachellia oerfota var. oerfota". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ J. P. M. Brenan: Flora of Tropical East Africa, 1959
- ^ "Species description". Archived from the original on 2001-02-10.
- ^ Andrews F.W. 1952. Flowering plants of the Sudan. Vol. II Sterculiaceae-Dipsacaceae. T. Buncle & Co. publ., Arbroath, Scotland.
- ^ Heuzé V., Thiollet H., Tran G., Lebas F., 2018. Orfot (Vachellia oerfota). Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/344
- ^ Dougall, H.W. & Bodgan, A.V. 1958. Browse plants of Kenya – with special reference to those occurring in South Barino. E. Afr. Agric. J., 23: 236-245.
- ^ Coppock, D. Layne, The Borana Plateau of Southern Ethiopia: Synthesis of pastoral research, development and change, 1980-91. ILRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1994
- ^ Fratkin, Elliot: Traditional Medicine and Concepts of Healing among Samburu Pastoralists of Kenya in Journal of Ethnobiology 16(1) Summer 1996
- ^ "Vachellia oerfota". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 19 January 2018.