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Acacia Acacia greggii Catclaw acacia Acacia constricta White thorn acacia Acacia angustissima Fern acacia Leguminosae – Pea family Description Acacia greggii is a large shrub or multi-trunked small tree occa sioning 15-20 feet in height. Like many Acacias, A. greggii has a bipinnate leaf pattern; each leaf has 2-4 sets of leaflets comprised of 4-6 pairs of secondary leaflets or pinnae. The thorns are recurved, solitary, and alternately spaced along the branches. The small flowers form dense, yellowish cylindrical clusters, which are 1-2 inches long. The pods, which follow, are 2-5 inches long, ½-¾ of an inch wide, ribbon-like, and slightly twisted. The green pods and seeds have a distinctive onion-like smell.At maturity, Acacia constricta is a large shrub, reaching 6-8 feet tall by the same dimension wide. At branch nodes there are 2 large white thorns; these diminish in size and eventually disappear as the branch or trunk ages and increases in girth. The leaves are composed of 1-7 sets of primary leaflets and 6-16 pairs of secondary leaflets; each of these are very small, usually no more than ½-inch long. The small yellow flowers form into ball-like clusters that are between ½-1 inch in width; they are very fragrant and sweet smelling. The seedpods that develop in June are light reddish-brown, smooth, and 1½-4 inches long. The small black and gray seeds are mottled and between ½-¼ of an inch long.Out of the three plants profiled here, Acacia angustissima tends to be the most herbaceous. The plant is rarely woody and typically is no more than 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide. The branch stems are deeply grooved and wooly. Each large-bipinnate leaf has 2-14 sets of primary leaflets and 9-33 sets of secondary leaflets. The white, ball-like flower clusters are arranged in racemes originating from leaf axils. The brown seedpods are 1½-3 inches long and up to ½-inch wide. The seeds are small and dark brown. Distribution Acacia greggii is found in a large array of zones throughout the southwest. From sea level to 5,000 feet, the plant ranges extensively throughout the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. In low elevation, arid areas look for A. greggii along gullies and washes; the higher in elevation the plant is found the more common it is encountered in Desert Grasslands, open areas, and among rocky hillsides and slopes. From much of the southern half of Arizona, Acacia constricta is found east to southern New Mexico’s Gila River, Rio Grande, and Pecos River Drainages to Trans-Pecos Texas. A. constricta is typically found from 2,000-6,000 feet in many areas where A. greggii is present. The plant is commonly found along drainages and on slopes and hillsides. Westward from southern Florida Acacia angustissima has a patchwork-like distribution. The plant is found through Arkansas, Missouri, and much of eastern Texas, skipping most of New Mexico except for an isolated pocket east of the southern expanse of the Rio Grande Drainage. Although the plant does not occur in California, below the Mogollon Rim it is common throughout much of southeastern and south-central Arizona. Chemistry Legume-type condensed and hydrolyzable tannins Medicinal Uses Acacias are simply mild astringents, nothing more, nothing less. Their best use is as a topical wash or powder for redness and skin irritation from insect bites, sunburn, scrapes, and abrasions. Along with Mesquite this ubiquitous genus is easily accessed throughout the southwestern part of the country. Indications Burns, scrapes, abrasions (external) Collection From mid-spring through early fall clip the small leafing branch ends. Dry, and then garble the leaves from the branches. Discard the branches. Preparations and Dosage Leaf infusion/powder/poultice: topically as needed Cautions None known. Other Uses Acacia seeds can be eaten raw in small quantities. The biggest limiting factor is the pseudo onion-like scent that becomes repugnant rather quickly. Dried, the seeds can be cooked like any other legume, or ground into a meal and eaten alone or mixed with other flours.
Copyright © 2006 by Charles W. Kane |