Acacia

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Acacia

Acacia is a genus

Genus

Shrub

A shrub or bush is a horticulture rather than strictly Botany category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall....
s and tree

TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
s belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae

Mimosoideae

Mimosoideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae characterized by flowers with small petals and numerous prominent stamens. This subfamily is subdivided into five tribes: Acacieae, Ingeae, Mimoseae, Mimozygantheae, and Parkieae....
of the family Fabaceae

Fabaceae

Fabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family....
, first described in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
by the Swedish

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the ?resund Bridge in the south....
botanist Carolus Linnaeus

Carolus Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus was a Sweden botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern alpha taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology....
in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing. The name derives from a??? (akis) which is Greek for a sharp point, due to the thorns in the type-species Acacia nilotica ("Nile Acacia") from Egypt.

Acacias are also known as thorntrees or wattles, including the yellow-fever acacia and umbrella acacias.

There are roughly 1300 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
of Acacia worldwide, about 960 of them native to Australia

Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, with the remainder spread around the tropical to warm-temperate regions of both hemispheres, including Africa

Africa

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
, and the Americas

Americas

The Americas are the region of the Western hemisphere that consists of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions....
.

genus Acacia is apparently not monophyletic.

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Encyclopedia

Acacia is a genus

Genus

Shrub

TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
s belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae

Mimosoideae

Fabaceae

Africa

Sweden

Carolus Linnaeus

Species

Australia

Africa

Asia

Americas

The Americas are the region of the Western hemisphere that consists of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions....
.

Classification

The genus Acacia is apparently not monophyletic. This discovery has led to the breaking up of Acacia into five new genera as discussed in list of Acacia species

List of Acacia species

Several cladistic analyses have shown that the genus Acacia is not monophyletic. While the subg. Acacia and subg. Phyllodineae are monophyletic, subg....
.In common parlance the term "acacia" is occasionally misapplied to species of the genus Robinia
Robinia

Robinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, native to North America and northern Mexico. Commonly known as locusts, they are deciduous trees and shrubs growing 4-25 m tall....
, which also belongs in the pea

Pea

A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the legume Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Although treated as a vegetable in cooking, it is botanically a fruit....
family. Robinia pseudoacacia, an American species locally known as Black locust, is sometimes called "false acacia" in cultivation

Cultivation

In agriculture, cultivation is the process of geting fater plants on arable land. It is usually associated with large-scale agriculture, as opposed to small-scale gardening....
in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
.

How to Pronounce

Acacia is pronounced 'UH-KAY-SEE-UH' (IPA: [?'ke?si?])

Geography

The southernmost species in the genus are Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....
(Silver Wattle), Acacia longifolia
Acacia longifolia

Acacia longifolia is a species of Acacia native to southeastern Australia, from the extreme southeast of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, eastern and southern Victoria, Australia, and southeastern South Australia....
(Coast Wattle or Sydney Golden Wattle), Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle), and Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood), reaching 43°30' S in Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and States and territories of Australia of the same name. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, being separated from it by Bass Strait....
, Australia, while Acacia caven
Acacia caven

Acacia caven is an ornamental tree in the Fabaceae family. Acacia caven is native to Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It grows four to five metres tall and it has white thorns up to 2 cm in length....
(Espinillo Negro) reaches nearly as far south in northeastern Chubut Province

Chubut Province

Chubut a province in the southern part of Argentina situated between the 42nd Circle of latitude South and 46th Parallel South , the Andes range separating Argentina from Chile, and the Atlantic ocean....
of Argentina

Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city....
. Australian species are usually called wattles, while African and American species tend to be known as acacias.

Acacia albida, Acacia tortilis
Acacia tortilis

Umbrella Thorn Acacia also known as Umbrella Thorn and Israeli Babool, is a medium to large canopied tree native primarily to the savanna and Sahel of Africa , but also occurring in the Middle East....
and Acacia iraqensis can be found growing wild in the Sinai

Sinai Peninsula

The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt. It lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, forming a land bridge between Africa and Southwest Asia....
desert and the Jordan

Jordan River

The Jordan River is a river in Southwest Asia which flows into the Dead Sea. It is considered to be one of the world's most sacred rivers. It is 251 kilometers long....
valley. It is found in the savanna vegetation of the tropical continental climate.

Description

The leaves of acacias are compound pinnate in general. In some species, however, more especially in the Australian and Pacific islands

Pacific Islands

The Pacific Ocean contains an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands . Those islands lying south of the tropic of Cancer but excluding Australia are traditionally grouped into three divisions: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia....
species, the leaflets are suppressed, and the leaf-stalks (petiole

Petiole (botany)

In botany, the petiole is the small stalk attaching the leaf blade to the Plant stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem....
s) become vertically flattened, and serve the purpose of leaves. These are known as phyllodes. The vertical orientation of the phyllodes protects them from intense sunlight, as with their edges towards the sky and earth they do not intercept light so fully as horizontally placed leaves. A few species (such as Acacia glaucoptera
Acacia glaucoptera

Acacia glaucoptera, commonly known as Flat Wattle or Clay Wattle, is a species of Acacia which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia....
) lack leaves or phyllodes altogether, but possess instead cladodes, modified leaf-like photosynthetic

Photosynthesis

File:Seawifs global biosphere.jpgPhotosynthesis is a metabolic pathway that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight....
stems functioning as leaves.

The small flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds....
s have five very small petals, almost hidden by the long stamens, and are arranged in dense globular or cylindrical clusters; they are yellow or cream-colored in most species, whitish in some, even purple (Acacia purpureapetala) or red (Acacia leprosa
Acacia leprosa

Acacia leprosa, also known as Cinnamon Wattle, is an acacia native to Australia. It occurs in the woodlands of the central tablelands of New South Wales....
Scarlet Blaze). Acacia flowers can be distinguished from those of a large related genus, Albizia
Albizia

Albizia is a genus of about 150 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs in the Subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family, Fabaceae....
, by their stamens which are not joined at the base. Also, unlike individual Mimosa
Mimosa

Mimosa is a genus of about 400 species of herbs and shrubs, in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family Fabaceae. There are two species in the genus that are notable....
flowers, those of Acacia have more than 10 stamens..

The plants often bear spines, especially those species growing in arid regions. These sometimes represent branches which have become short, hard and pungent, or sometimes leaf-stipule

Stipule

In botany, stipule is a term coined by Carolus Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk . A pair of stipules is considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many species the stipules are inconspicuous or entirely absent ....
s. Acacia armata is the Kangaroo-thorn of Australia and Acacia erioloba
Acacia erioloba

Acacia erioloba , is also commonly known as the Camel Thorn, Kameeldoring , Giraffe Thorn or Mokala . The Mokala National Park in the Northern Cape is named after this tree....
is the Camelthorn of Africa.

Symbiosis

In the Central American Acacia sphaerocephala, Acacia cornigera
Acacia cornigera

Acacia cornigera, commonly known as Bullhorn Acacia , is a swollen-thorn acacia native to Mexico and Central America. The common name of "bullhorn" refers to the large, enlarged, hollowed-out swollen thorns that occur in pairs at the base of leaves, and resemble the horns of a steer....
, and Acacia collinsii
Acacia collinsii

Acacia collinsii is a species of flowering plant. It grows in secondary succession in seasonally dry ecosystems in southern Central America, where it exhibits a symbiotic relationship with several species of ant ....
(collectively known as the bullthorn acacias), the large thorn-like stipules are hollow and afford shelter for ant

Ant

Ants are Eusociality insects of the family Formicidae, and along with the related wasps and bees, they belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolution from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and Evolutionary radiation after the rise of flowering plants....
s, which feed on a secretion of sap on the leaf-stalk and small, lipid

Lipid

Lipids are broadly defined as any fat-soluble , naturally-occurring molecule, such as fats, oils, waxes, cholesterol, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others....
-rich food-bodies at the tips of the leaflets called Beltian bodies; in return they add protection to the plant against herbivores. Some species of ants will also fight off competing plants around the acacia, cutting off the offending plant's leaves with their jaws and ultimately killing it, while other ant species will do nothing to benefit their host.

Pests

In Australia, Acacia species are sometimes used as food plants by the larva

Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of hepialid

Hepialidae

The Hepialidae is a Scientific classification of insects in the lepidopteran Scientific classification. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths....
moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the Order Lepidoptera. The differences between butterflies and moths are more than just taxonomy....
s of the genus

Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
Aenetus
Aenetus

Aenetus is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 24 described species found in Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand....
including A. ligniveren. These burrow horizontally into the trunk then vertically down. Other Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
larvae which have been recorded feeding on Acacia include Brown-tail

Brown-tail

The Brown-tail is a moth of the family Lymantriidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.The wings of this species are pure white, as is the body, apart from a tuft of brown hairs at the end of the abdomen....
, Endoclita malabaricus
Endoclita

Endoclita is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 60 described species found in eastern and southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent....
and Turnip Moth

Turnip Moth

The Turnip Moth is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common European species.This is a very variable species with the forewings ranging from pale buff through to almost black....
. The leaf-mining larvae of some bucculatricid

Bucculatricidae

Bucculatricidae or is a family of moths. This small family has representatives in all parts of the world. Some authors place the group as a subfamily of the family Lyonetiidae....
moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the Order Lepidoptera. The differences between butterflies and moths are more than just taxonomy....
s also feed on Acacia: Bucculatrix agilis
Bucculatricidae

Bucculatricidae or is a family of moths. This small family has representatives in all parts of the world. Some authors place the group as a subfamily of the family Lyonetiidae....
feeds exclusively on Acacia horrida
Acacia horrida

Acacia horrida is a low spreading shrub or sometimes tree native to both the wet and dry scrublands of tropical to subtropical East Africa....
and Bucculatrix flexuosa
Bucculatricidae

Bucculatricidae or is a family of moths. This small family has representatives in all parts of the world. Some authors place the group as a subfamily of the family Lyonetiidae....
feeds exclusively on Acacia nilotica
Acacia nilotica

Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....
.

Acacias contain a number of organic compound

Organic compound

An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered Inorganic compound....
s that defend them from pests and grazing animals.

Uses

Food uses

Acacia seeds are often used for food and a variety of other products.

In Burma

Myanmar

Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia, or Indochina. The country is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest with...
, Laos

Laos

Laos , officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west....
and Thailand

Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
, the feathery shoots of Acacia pennata (common name cha-om, ???? and su pout ywet in Burmese) are used in soup

Soup

Soup is a food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables in Stock or hot/boiling water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth....
s, curries

Curry

Curry is the English language description of any of a general variety of spiced dishes, best known in Asian cuisines, especially South Asian cuisine....
, omelette

Omelette

An omelette or omelet is a preparation of beaten Egg cooked with butter or Cooking oil in a frying pan, usually folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above....
s, and stir-fries.

Honey

Honey

Honey is a sweet fluid produced by honey bees , and derived from the nectar of flowers. According to the United States National Honey Board and various international food regulations, "honey stipulates a pure product that does not allow for the addition of any other substance?this includes, but is not limited to, water or other sweeteners...
made by bee

Bee

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Bees are a monophyly lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila....
s using the acacia flower as forage

Forage (honeybee)

For bees, their forage or food supply consists of nectar and pollen from flower plants within flight range. The forage sources for Western honey bees are an important consideration for beekeepers....
is considered a delicacy, appreciated for its mild flowery taste, soft running texture and glass

Glass

Glass generally refers to a Hardness, brittle, transparency amorphous solid, such as that used for windows, many Glass Bottles, or eyewear, including, but not limited to, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, acrylic glass, sugar glass, Muscovite , or aluminium oxynitride....
-like appearance. Acacia honey is one of the few honeys which does not crystallize.
In Mexico the seeds are known as Guajes: Guajes or huajes are the flat, green pods of an acacia tree. The pods are sometimes light green or deep red in color -- both taste the same. Guaje seeds are about the size of a small lima bean and are eaten raw with guacamole, sometimes cooked and made into a sauce. They can also be made into fritters. The ground seeds are used to impart a slightly garlicy flavor to a mole called guaxmole (huaxmole). The dried seeds may be toasted and salted and eaten as a snack referred to as "cacalas". Purchase whole long pods fresh or dried at Mexican specialty markets.

Acacia is listed as an ingredient in Fresca

Fresca

Fresca is a Coca-Cola brands of citrus soft drink made by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in the United States in 1963, the drink is now sold throughout the world, although it is not widely available outside of North America....
, a citrus

Citrus

Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of the world....
soft drink

Soft drink

A soft drink is a beverage that does not contain alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda, soda pop, pop, coke or tonic in various parts of the United States, pop in Canada, fizzy drinks in the United Kingdom and Australia and sometimes minerals in Ireland....
, Barq's

Barq's

Barq's is an American soft drink company. "Barq's" was long the name of the company's signature product, now known as Barq's Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer, a brand name of root beer notable for being the first major North American root beer to contain caffeine....
root beer

Root beer

Root beer is a carbonated beverage originally brewed using sassafras. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: fermentation and soft drink....
, Full Throttle

Full Throttle (drink)

Full Throttle is an energy drink brand produced by the The Coca-Cola Company. It debuted in late 2004 in North America. The beverage has a citrus flavor and comes in a 16 ounce can....
Unleaded Energy Drink

Energy drink

File:Energy drinks.jpgFile:Reloadice adjusted.jpgEnergy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing Energy to improve physical activity of the drinker, as compared to a typical drink....
, Strawberry-Lemonade POWERade

Powerade

POWERade is a drink manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in 1988. By 1992, the beverage was launched nationally in the Australian Capital Territory....
as well as in Läkerol

Läkerol

L?kerol is a Sweden brand of candies currently produced by the Leaf Candy Company confectionary company.The candies are sugar- and calorie-free pastilles with the major ingredient being gum arabic....
pastille

Pastille

A pastille was originally a pill shaped lump of compressed herbs, which was burnt to release its medicinal properties. Pastilles were in widest use during the eighteenth century, and have never really made a comeback....
candies

Candy

Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added....
, Altoids

Altoids

Altoids are a brand of breath mints that have existed since the turn of the 19th century. Altoids are less popular in United Kingdom?their country of origin?than in the regions to which they are exported....
mints, and Wrigley's Eclipse chewing gum

Chewing gum

Chewing gum is a type of confection traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber. For reasons of economy and quality, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle....
.

Gum

Various species of acacia yield gum. True gum arabic

Gum arabic

Gum arabic, also known as gum acacia, chaar gund or char goond, is a natural gum made of hardened sap taken from two species of the acacia tree; Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal....
is the product of Acacia senegal
Acacia senegal

is a small deciduous acacia tree known by the common names 'Rudraksha', 'Gum Acacia', 'Gum Arabic Tree', or 'Gum Senegal Tree'....
, abundant in dry tropical West Africa from Senegal

Senegal

Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the S?n?gal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south....
to northern Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federation constitutional republic comprising States of Nigeria and one Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria....
.

Acacia arabica is the gum-Arabic tree of India

India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
, but yields a gum inferior to the true gum-Arabic.

Medicinal uses

Many Acacia species have important uses in traditional medicine. Most all of the uses have been shown to have a scientific basis, since chemical compounds found in the various species have medicinal effects. In Ayurvedic medicine, Acacia nilotica
Acacia nilotica

Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....
is considered a remedy that is helpful for treating premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation , also known as rapid ejaculation, rapid climax, premature climax or early ejaculation , is a condition affecting 25%-40% of men in the U.S....
. A 19th century Ethiopian medical text describes a potion made from an Ethiopian species of Acacia (known as grar) mixed with the root of the tacha, then boiled, as a cure for rabies

Rabies

Rabies is a virus zoonotic neurotropic virus disease that causes acute encephalitis in mammals. It is most commonly caused by a bite from an infected animal, but occasionally by other forms of contact....
. An astringent

Astringent

An astringent substance is a chemical that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application. The word "astringent" derives from Latin adstringere, meaning "to bind fast"....
medicine, called catechu

Catechu

Catechu is an extract of any of several species of Acacia—but especially Acacia catechu—produced by boiling the wood in water and evaporating the resulting brew....
or cutch, is procured from several species, but more especially from Acacia catechu
Acacia catechu

Acacia catechu is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height.Common names for it include Catechu, Cachou and Black Cutch....
, by boiling down the wood and evaporating the solution so as to get an extract.

Dietary consumption

The most well known visitor to the Acacia is the known giraffe

Giraffe

The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant. It is covered in large, irregular patches of yellow to black fur separated by white, off-white, or dark yellowish brown background....
. Giraffes eat the most famous in Africa

Africa

Ornamental uses

A few species are widely grown as ornamentals in garden

Garden

A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials....
s; the most popular perhaps is Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....
(Silver Wattle), with its attractive glaucous to silvery leaves and bright yellow flowers; it is erroneously known as "mimosa" in some areas where it is cultivated, through confusion with the related genus Mimosa
Mimosa

Mimosa is a genus of about 400 species of herbs and shrubs, in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family Fabaceae. There are two species in the genus that are notable....
.

Another ornamental acacia is Acacia xanthophloea
Acacia xanthophloea

Acacia xanthophloea is a tree which is native to the following countries in Africa: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe....
(Fever Tree). Southern European florists use Acacia baileyana, Acacia dealbata, Acacia pycnantha and Acacia retinodes as cut flowers and the common name there for them is mimosa.

Ornamental species of acacia are also used by homeowners and landscape architect

Landscape architect

A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes oversight of an exterior landscape or space. Their professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
s for home security. The sharp thorns of some species deter unauthorized persons from entering private properties, and may prevent break-ins if planted under windows and near drainpipes. The aesthetic characteristics of acacia plants, in conjunction with their home security qualities, makes them a considerable alternative to artificial fence

Fence

A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent Transport across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage ....
s and wall

Wall

A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into Room s, or protects or delineates a space in the open air....
s.

Paints

The ancient Egyptians used Acacia in paints.

Perfume

Acacia farnesiana is used in the perfume

Perfume

Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces a pleasant smell....
industry due to its strong fragrance. The use of Acacia as a fragrance dates back centuries. In the Bible

Bible

The Bible is the central religious text of Judaism and Christianity. The exact Books of the Bible is dependent on the religious traditions of specific denominations....
, burning of acacia wood as a form of incense

Incense

Symbolism and ritual

The Acacia is used as a symbol in Freemasonry

Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal and service organizations that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around 5 million ....
, to represent purity and endurance of the soul

Soul

In many religions and parts of philosophy, the soul is the immaterial part of a person. It is usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and Personality psychology, and can be synonymous with the spirit, mind or self....
, and as funerary symbolism signifying resurrection and immortality. The tree gains its importance from the description of the burial of Hiram Abiff, the builder of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

Several parts (mainly bark, root and resin) of Acacia are used to make incense

Incense

Incense is composed of aromatic Biotic material materials. It releases fragrant smoke when burned. The term incense refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces....
for rituals. Acacia is used in incense mainly in India, Nepal, Tibet and China. Smoke from Acacia bark is thought to keep demon

Demon

In religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God....
s and ghost

Ghost

File:Henry Fuseli- Hamlet and his father's Ghost.JPGA ghost is popularly held to be the disembodied spirit or soul of a death person. Popularly described as insubstantial and partly transparent, ghosts are reported to haunt particular List of reportedly haunted locations that they were associated with in life or at time of death....
s away and to put the gods in a good mood. Roots and resin from Acacia are combined with rhododendron

Rhododendron

Rhododendron is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It is a large genus with over 1000 species and most have showy flower displays....
, acorus

Acorus

Acorus is a genus of monocot flowering plants. This genus was once placed within the family Araceae , but more recent classifications place it in its own family Acoraceae and order Acorales, of which it is the sole genus of the oldest surviving line of monocots....
, cytisus, salvia

Salvia

Salvia is a genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is one of three genus commonly referred to as sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to Salvia officinalis ; however, it can be used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus....
and some other components of incense. Both people and elephants like an alcoholic beverage made from acacia fruit. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, the Acacia tree may be the “burning bush” (Exodus

Exodus

Exodus is the second book of the Jewish Torah and of the Christian Old Testament. It tells how Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the Mountain of God Sinai....
3:2) which Moses

Moses

Moses is a Hebrew Bible Hebrews religious leader, lawgiver, prophet, to whom the Mosaic authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed. Also called Moshe Rabbeinu in Hebrew , he is the most important prophet in Judaism, and also an important prophet of Christianity, Islam, the Bah?'? Faith, Rastafari movement, Chrislam and many ot...
encountered in the desert. Also, when God gave Moses the instructions for building the Tabernacle

Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is known in Hebrew language as the Mishkan . It was a portable dwelling place for the divine presence from the time of the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan....
, he said to "make an ark of acacia wood" and "make a table of acacia wood" (Exodus 25:10 & 23, Revised Standard Version

Revised Standard Version

The Revised Standard Version is an English language Bible translation of the Bible published in the mid-20th century. It traces its history all the way back to William Tyndale's New Testament translation of 1525 and the King James Version of 1611....
)

In Russia

Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
and other countries it is customary to present women with yellow mimosas (among other flowers) on International Women's Day

International Women's Day

International Women's Day is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women....
(March 8). These "mimosas" are actually from Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....
(Silver Wattle).

Tannin

The bark of various Australian species, known as wattles, is very rich in tannin

Tannin

Tannins are astringent, bitter plant polyphenols that either bind and Precipitation or shrink proteins. The astringency from the tannins is what causes the dry and puckery feeling in the mouth following the consumption of red wine or an unripened fruit....
and forms an important article of export; important species include Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle), Acacia decurrens
Acacia decurrens

Acacia decurrens is a perennial tree or shrub native to the Greater Blue Mountains Area, which is a World Heritage Site in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia....
(Tan Wattle), Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....
(Silver Wattle) and Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle).

Tannin Content of Various Acacia Species
	Bark	Dried Leaves	Seed Pods
Species	Tannins [%]	Tannins [%]	Tannins [%]
Acacia albida	2-28%		5-13%
Acacia cavenia			32%
Acacia dealbata Acacia dealbata *Acacia dealbata* is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....	19.1%
Acacia decurrens Acacia decurrens *Acacia decurrens* is a perennial tree or shrub native to the Greater Blue Mountains Area, which is a World Heritage Site in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia....	37-40%
Acacia farnesiana			23%
Acacia mearnsii	25-35%
Acacia melanoxylon	20%
Acacia nilotica Acacia nilotica *Acacia nilotica* is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....	18-23%*
Acacia penninervis Acacia penninervis *Acacia penninervis* is a perennial shrub or tree 2-8m high, which is native to Australia and New Zealand.Common names for it are Hickory Wattle and Mountain Hickory....	18%
Acacia pycnantha	30-45%	15-16%
Acacia saligna Acacia saligna *Acacia saligna* , commonly known by various names including coojong, golden wreath wattle, orange wattle, blue-leafed wattle, Western Australian golden wattle, and, in Africa, Port Jackson willow, is a small tree in the family Fabaceae....	21.5%

*Inner bark

Black Wattle is grown in plantations in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
. Most Australian acacia species introduced to South Africa have become an enormous problem, due to their naturally aggressive propagation. The pods of Acacia nilotica
Acacia nilotica

Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....
(under the name of neb-neb), and of other African species are also rich in tannin

Tannin

Wood

Some Acacia species are valuable as timber

Timber

Timber may refer to:* Lumber, i.e. wood materials* Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Oregon* Timber , a 1984 arcade game by Bally Midway...
, such as Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) from Australia

Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, which attains a great size; its wood is used for furniture

Furniture

Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body , provide storage, or hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground....
, and takes a high polish; and Acacia omalophylla (Myall Wood, also Australian), which yields a fragrant timber used for ornaments. Acacia seyal
Acacia seyal

Red acacia is a thorny, 6-10 m high tree with a greenish or reddish bark. At the base of the 3-10 cm feathery leaves there are two straight, light grey thorns....
is thought to be the Shittah-tree

Shittah-tree

Shittah-tree is Hebrew language for acacia. Acacia albida, Acacia tortilis and Acacia iraqensis can be found growing wild in the Sinai peninsula desert and the Jordan River valley....
of the Bible

Bible

The Bible is the central religious text of Judaism and Christianity. The exact Books of the Bible is dependent on the religious traditions of specific denominations....
, which supplied shittim-wood. According to the Book of Exodus, this was used in the construction of the Ark of the Covenant

Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant is described in the Bible as a sacred container, where in rested the Tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments as well as Aaron's rod and manna....
. Acacia koa
Koa

The koa is a species of Flowering plant tree in the pea Family , Fabaceae. It is Endemism to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree....
from the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of 19 islands and atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll....
and Acacia heterophylla
Acacia heterophylla

Acacia heterophylla, the Highland tamarin, is a tree endemic to R?union where it is commonly named Tamarin des HautsIt has been introduced into Madagascar where it grows in a subhumid climate at an altitude of about 500?1000 m above sea level....
from Réunion

Reunion

Reunion may refer to:...
island are both excellent timber trees.

**Approximate wood densities of various acacia species**
	Density	Heartwood Density	Sapwood Density
Species	[kg/m³]	[kg/m³]	[kg/m³]
Acacia acuminata	1040
Acacia amythethophylla		1170
Acacia catechu Acacia catechu *Acacia catechu* is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height.Common names for it include Catechu, Cachou and Black Cutch....	880
Acacia confusa Acacia confusa *Acacia confusa* is a perennial tree native to Asia. Some common names for it are Acacia Petit Feuille, Mimosa, Small Philippine Acacia, Formosa Acacia and Formosan Koa....	690-750
Acacia erioloba Acacia erioloba *Acacia erioloba* , is also commonly known as the Camel Thorn, Kameeldoring , Giraffe Thorn or Mokala . The Mokala National Park in the Northern Cape is named after this tree....		1230
Acacia galpinii		800
Acacia goetzii			1025
Acacia karoo		800
Acacia leucophloea Acacia leucophloea Acacia leucophloea , also called reonja, is a moderate sized tree sometimes mistaken for prosopis cineraria with spreading crown and somewhat malformed and crooked trunk....	760
Acacia mellifera subsp. mellifera		1100
Acacia nilotica Acacia nilotica *Acacia nilotica* is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....	700	1170
Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens Description *Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens* is a perennial tree. It is not listed as being threatened. Some common names for it are Cassie, Piquants Blancs and Piquant Lulu....	827-945
Acacia nilotica subsp. nilotica Acacia nilotica subsp. nilotica *Acacia nilotica subsp. nilotica* is a perennial tree native to Africa. It has also been introduced to the Indian Ocean area and to the Middle East....	800	1170
Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha *Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha* is a perennial tree native to Africa. Common names for it are Whitethorn and Witdoring....		705
Acacia sieberiana Acacia sieberiana *Acacia sieberiana* is a perennial tree native to Africa and introduced into Pakistan. This tree grows 3?25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 0.6?1.8 m....		655

In Indonesia

Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
(mainly in Sumatra

Sumatra

Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the list of islands by area in the world ....
) and in Malaysia

Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation that consists of States of Malaysia in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government....
(mainly in Sarawak

Sarawak

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , it is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia; the second largest, Sabah, lies to the northeast....
) plantations of Acacia mangium
Acacia mangium

Acacia mangium is a species of Flowering plant tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to northeastern Queensland in Australia, the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, Papua , and the eastern Maluku Islands....
are being established to supply pulpwood

Pulpwood

Pulpwood refers to timber grown with the principal purpose of making wood pulp for paper production. However, pulpwood is also used as the raw material for some wood products, such as oriented strand board , and there is an increasing demand for pulpwood as a source of 'green energy' by the bio-energy sector....
to the paper industry.

Phytochemistry of Acacia

Alkaloids

As mentioned previously, Acacias contain a number of organic compound

Organic compound

Dimethyltryptamine

Dimethyltryptamine , also known as N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a naturally-occurring tryptamine and potent psychedelic drug, found not only in many plants, but also in trace amounts in the human body where its natural function is undetermined....
(DMT), 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine

5-MeO-DMT

5-MeO-DMT is a powerful psychedelic drug tryptamine. It is found in a wide variety of plant and psychoactive toad species, and like its close relatives Dimethyltryptamine and bufotenin , it has been used as an entheogen by South American shamanism for thousands of years....
(5-MeO-DMT) and N-methyltryptamine

N-Methyltryptamine

NMT, or N-methyltryptamine, also known by the name of monomethyltryptamine, is a lesser-known Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants. It is an alkaloid that has been found in the bark, shoots and leaves of several species of Virola, Acacia and Mimosa....
(NMT). The plant leaves, stems and/or roots are sometimes made into a brew together with some MAOI

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a class of powerful Antidepressants prescribed for the treatment of clinical depression. They are particularly effective in treating atypical depression, and have also shown efficacy in smoking cessation....
-containing plant and consumed orally for healing, ceremonial or religious uses. Egyptian mythology

Egyptian mythology

Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in ancient Egypt over at least 3,000 years, from the Predynastic Egypt until the adoption of Coptic Christianity in the early centuries Common Era....
has associated the acacia tree with characteristics of the tree of life

Tree of life

The concept of a many-branched tree illustrating the idea that all life on earth is related has been used in tree of life , religion, philosophy, mythology and other areas....
(see the article on the Myth of Osiris and Isis).

Acacias Known to Contain Psychoactive Alkaloids
Acacia acuminata	Up to 1.5% alkaloids, mainly consisting of tryptamine Tryptamine Tryptamine is a monoamine alkaloid found in plants, fungi, and animals. It is based around the indole ring structure, and is chemically related to the amino acid tryptophan, from which its name is derived.... in leaf
Acacia adunca	ß-methyl-phenethylamine Beta-methyl-phenethylamine ?-Methylphenethylamine is a drug related to amphetamine. It is found in many Acacia species. It has stimulant effects in man as the beta-methyl group slows metabolism by monoamine oxidase enzymes.... , 2.4% in leaves
Acacia alpina Acacia alpina *Acacia alpina* is an evergreen shrub 1 m to 2 m high and about 10 m wide. It is a close relative of Acacia phlebophylla and they tend to Hybrid ....	Active principles in leaf
Acacia aneura	Ash used in Pituri. Ether extracts about 2-6% of the dried leaf mass. Not known if psychoactive per se Per se per se :A List of Latin phrases #P used in English arguments for "by itself" or "by themselves"It also is used in law:Illegal per se, the legal usage of "per se" in criminal and anti-trust law... .
Acacia angustissima Acacia angustissima *Acacia angustissima* is a perennial, deciduous, shrub or tree in the Fabaceae family native to Central America and the United States. It is also found in South America, India and Pakistan....	ß-methyl-phenethylamine, NMT and DMT in leaf (1.1-10.2 ppm)
Acacia aroma Acacia aroma *Acacia aroma* is a small, perennial, thorny tree native to Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Paraguay. Some common names for it are Aromita, Aromo Negro, Espinillo and Tusca....	Tryptamine alkaloids. Significant amount of tryptamine in the seeds.
Acacia auriculiformis Acacia auriculiformis *Acacia auriculiformis, commonly known as Auri, Earleaf acacia, Earpod wattle, Northern black wattle, Papuan wattle, Tan wattle*, is a fast-growing, crooked, gnarly and thorny tree in the family Fabaceae....	5-MeO-DMT in stem bark
Acacia baileyana Cootamundra wattle The Cootamundra Wattle is a shrub or tree in the Fabaceae. The Latin name of the species honors the botanist Frederick Manson Bailey. It is but one of nearly 1000 species of Acacia found in Australia....	0.02% tryptamine and ß-carbolines, in the leaf, Tetrahydroharman Tetrahydroharman Tetrahydroharman, also known as 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-?-carboline, is a general name for one of two isomers:# -1-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido-3,4-b-indole...
Acacia beauverdiana Acacia beauverdiana *Acacia beauverdiana* is a Perennial plant tree 1 m to 8 m tall with multiple stems. It has yellow flowers and it blooms from July to October. It is native to Western Australia....	Psychoactive Ash used in Pituri.
Acacia berlandieri Acacia berlandieri *Acacia berlandieri* is a shrub native to the Southwestern United States that belongs to the subfamily Mimosoideae of Fabaceae . It grows tall, with blossoms that are spherical and white, occurring from February through April....	DMT, amphetamines, mescaline Mescaline Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally-occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class. It is mainly used as a recreational drug, an entheogen, and a tool to supplement various practices for transcendence , including in meditation, psychonautics, art projects, and psychedelic psychotherapy.... , nicotine Nicotine Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants which constitutes approximately 0.6?3.0% of dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots, and accumulating in the leaves....
Acacia catechu Acacia catechu *Acacia catechu* is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height.Common names for it include Catechu, Cachou and Black Cutch....	DMT and other tryptamines in leaf, bark
Acacia caven Acacia caven *Acacia caven* is an ornamental tree in the Fabaceae family. Acacia caven is native to Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It grows four to five metres tall and it has white thorns up to 2 cm in length....	Tryptamines
Acacia chundra Acacia chundra Acacia chundra is a perennial, deciduous tree found in Asia, India and in the Indian Ocean area. It grows 12 m to 15 m in height.Common names for it include Karangali, Kodalimurunkai, 'Lal Khair, 'Lal Khair, 'Rat Kihiriya and Red Cutch....	DMT and other tryptamines in leaf, bark
Acacia colei Acacia colei *Acacia colei* is a perennial Shrub or tree native to Australia and southern Asia. A common name for it is Cole's Wattle.It grows to a height of up to 9 m....	DMT
Acacia complanata Acacia complanata *Acacia complanata, generally known as Long-pod Wattle* and Flat-stemmed Wattle, is a perennial tree native to Australia. It can grow 5?6 m tall, but more often it grows as a large shrub....	0.3% alkaloids in leaf and stem, almost all N-methyl-tetrahydroharman, with traces of tetrahydroharman Tetrahydroharman Tetrahydroharman, also known as 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-?-carboline, is a general name for one of two isomers:# -1-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido-3,4-b-indole... , some of tryptamine
Acacia concinna Acacia concinna *Acacia concinna* is a tree native to Asia. The tree is food for the larvae of the butterfly Pantoporia hordonia. Alkaloids are found in the tree's fruit....	Nicotine
Acacia confusa Acacia confusa *Acacia confusa* is a perennial tree native to Asia. Some common names for it are Acacia Petit Feuille, Mimosa, Small Philippine Acacia, Formosa Acacia and Formosan Koa....	DMT & NMT in leaf, stem & bark 0.04% NMT and 0.02% DMT in stem. Also N,N-dimethyltryptamine N-oxide
Acacia constricta Acacia constricta *Acacia constricta, often known as the whitethorn acacia*, is an acacia shrub native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States United States....	ß-methyl-phenethylamine
Acacia coriacea Acacia coriacea *Acacia coriacea, commonly known as river jam, wirewood, wiry wattle, desert oak, or dogwood*, is a tree in the family Fabaceae....	Ash used in Pituri. Not known if psychoactive.
Acacia cornigera Acacia cornigera *Acacia cornigera, commonly known as Bullhorn Acacia* , is a swollen-thorn acacia native to Mexico and Central America. The common name of "bullhorn" refers to the large, enlarged, hollowed-out swollen thorns that occur in pairs at the base of leaves, and resemble the horns of a steer....	Psychoactive, Tryptamines
Acacia cultriformis Acacia cultriformis The Knife-leaf Wattle , also known as the Dogtooth Wattle, Half-moon Wattle or Golden-glow Wattle, is a perennial tree or shrub of the genus Acacia native to Australia....	Tryptamine, in the leaf, stem and seeds. Phenethylamine in leaf and seeds
Acacia cuthbertsonii Acacia cuthbertsonii *Acacia cuthbertsonii* is a perennial shrub or tree native to Australia. It grows 1?5 m tall with fissured, flaky bark. It grows in the central western part of Australia....	Psychoactive
Acacia delibrata Acacia delibrata *Acacia delibrata* is a perennial tree native to Western Australia. It grows narrowly upward to a height of 2-8m. It flowers from March to August....	Psychoactive
Acacia falcata Acacia falcata *Acacia falcata* is a Perennial plant shrub or tree found in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Some common names for it are Burra, Sally, Sickle-shaped Acacia and Silver-leaved Wattle....	Psychoactive, but less than 0.02% alkaloids
Acacia farnesiana	Traces of 5-MeO-DMT in fruit. ß-methyl-phenethylamine, flower. Ether extracts about 2-6% of the dried leaf mass. Alkaloids are present in the bark and leaves. Amphetamines and mescaline also found in tree.
Acacia filiciana Acacia filiciana *Acacia filiciana* is a small tree native to Mexico. Its roots provide a potentially psychoactive addition to Pulque, a fermented drink derived from agave....	Added to Pulque, but not known if psychoactive
Acacia floribunda Acacia floribunda *Acacia floribunda* is a perennial evergreen shrub or tree. It is native to New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria , but is cultivated extensively, and has naturalised in South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, and also in Indonesia, Mauritius and northern New Zealand....	Tryptamine, phenethylamine, in flowers other tryptamines, phenethylamines
Acacia greggii Acacia greggii *Acacia greggii* is a species of Acacia native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, from the extreme south of Utah south through southern Nevada, southeast California, Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas to Baja California, Sinaloa and Nuevo Le?n in Mexico....	N-methyl-ß-phenethylamine, phenethylamine Phenethylamine Phenethylamine, or ?-phenylethylamine or 2-phenylethylamine, is an alkaloid and monoamine. Phenethylamine also has a constitutional isomer a-phenylethylamine , which has two stereoisomers: --1-phenylethylamine and --1-phenylethylamine....
Acacia harpophylla Acacia harpophylla *Acacia harpophylla, commonly known as the Brigalow* , Brigalow Spearwood or Orkor is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales....	Phenethylamine Phenethylamine Phenethylamine, or ?-phenylethylamine or 2-phenylethylamine, is an alkaloid and monoamine. Phenethylamine also has a constitutional isomer a-phenylethylamine , which has two stereoisomers: --1-phenylethylamine and --1-phenylethylamine.... , hordenine Hordenine Hordenine is a phenylethylamine alkaloid with antibacterial and antibiotic properties. It stimulates the release of norepinephrine in higher animals.... at a ratio of 2:3 in dried leaves, 0.6% total
Acacia holoserica	Hordenine Hordenine Hordenine is a phenylethylamine alkaloid with antibacterial and antibiotic properties. It stimulates the release of norepinephrine in higher animals.... , 1.2% in bark
Acacia horrida Acacia horrida *Acacia horrida* is a low spreading shrub or sometimes tree native to both the wet and dry scrublands of tropical to subtropical East Africa....	Psychoactive
Acacia implexa Acacia implexa Acacia implexa is an Australian Acacia, used for furniture making. Its common name is Lightwood....	Psychoactive
Acacia jurema Acacia jurema *Acacia jurema* is a tree native to Brazil. Its name comes from a city in Brazil called Jurema and it may sometimes be used in Jurema wine, a variety of Ayahuasca used by some of the indigenous people of Brazil....	DMT, NMT
Acacia karroo Acacia karroo *Acacia karroo* also known as the Sweet Thorn, is a species of Acacia, native to southern Africa from southern Angola east to Mozambique, and south to South Africa....	Psychoactive
Acacia kempeana Acacia kempeana *Acacia kempeana, commonly known as wanderrie wattle, witchetty bush* or granite wattle, is a shrub in the family Fabaceae....	Used in Pituri, but not known if psychoactive.
Acacia kettlewelliae	1.5-1.88% alkaloids, 92% consisting of phenylethylamine. 0.9% N-methyl-2- phenylethylamine found a different time.
Acacia laeta Acacia laeta *Acacia laeta* is a perennial shrub or tree growing to a height of 4-10m. Its flowers are yellow to creamy white and they appear near the end of the rainiest part of the year....	DMT, in the leaf
Acacia lingulata Acacia lingulata External links...	Used in Pituri, but not known if psychoactive.
Acacia longifolia Acacia longifolia *Acacia longifolia* is a species of Acacia native to southeastern Australia, from the extreme southeast of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, eastern and southern Victoria, Australia, and southeastern South Australia....	0.2% tryptamine in bark, leaves, some in flowers, phenylethylamine in flowers, 0.2% DMT in plant. Histamine alkaloids.
Acacia longifolia var. sophorae	Tryptamine in leaves, bark
Acacia macradenia	Tryptamine
Acacia maidenii Acacia maidenii *Acacia maidenii, also known as Maiden's Wattle*, is a tree native to Australia . It has been introduced into India and Argentina, and it grows on plantations in South Africa....	0.6% NMT and DMT in about a 2:3 ratio in the stem bark, both present in leaves
Acacia mangium Acacia mangium *Acacia mangium* is a species of Flowering plant tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to northeastern Queensland in Australia, the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, Papua , and the eastern Maluku Islands....	Psychoactive
Acacia melanoxylon	DMT, in the bark and leaf, but less than 0.02% total alkaloids
Acacia mellifera Acacia mellifera *Acacia mellifera* is a perennial tree which is not listed as being threatened.The name mellifera refers to its sweet-smelling blossoms and honey....	DMT, in the leaf
Acacia nilotica Acacia nilotica *Acacia nilotica* is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also currently an Invasive species in Australia of significant concern in Australia....	DMT, in the leaf
Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens Description *Acacia nilotica subsp. adstringens* is a perennial tree. It is not listed as being threatened. Some common names for it are Cassie, Piquants Blancs and Piquant Lulu....	Psychoactive, DMT in the leaf
Acacia obtusifolia Acacia obtusifolia Description *Acacia obtusifolia* is an upright or spreading perennial tree which grows from 1.5m to 8m in height and it is native to Australia....	Tryptamine, DMT, NMT, other tryptamines, 0.4-0.5% in dried bark, 0.07% in branch tips.
Acacia oerfota Acacia oerfota *Acacia oerfota* is a perennial shrub or tree which is native to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Among other things, it is used in making beverages....	Less than 0.1% DMT in leaf, NMT
Acacia penninervis Acacia penninervis *Acacia penninervis* is a perennial shrub or tree 2-8m high, which is native to Australia and New Zealand.Common names for it are Hickory Wattle and Mountain Hickory....	Psychoactive
Acacia phlebophylla Acacia phlebophylla Description *Acacia phlebophylla, an Acacia also known by the names Buffalo Sallow Wattle* and Mountain Buffalo Wattle, is a straggling shrub to small, twisted tree reaching up to 5 meters in height....	0.3% DMT in leaf, NMT
Acacia podalyriaefolia	Tryptamine in the leaf, 0.5% to 2% DMT in fresh bark, phenethylamine, trace amounts
Acacia polyacantha Acacia polyacantha Description *Acacia polyacantha, also known as White Thorn* is a flowering tree which can grow up to 25m tall. Polyacantha has the meaning "many thorns" in Latin....	DMT in leaf and other tryptamines in leaf, bark
Acacia polyacantha ssp. campylacantha	Less than 0.2% DMT in leaf, NMT; DMT and other tryptamines in leaf, bark
Acacia prominens	Phenylethylamine, ß-methyl-phenethylamine
Acacia pruinocarpa	Ash used in Pituri. Not known if psychoactive.
Acacia pycnantha	Ash used in Pituri, but less than 0.02% total alkaloids. Not known if psychoactive.
Acacia retinodes Acacia retinodes *Acacia retinodes* is a perennial tree which is widely distributed throughout the world. It is unusual amongst the Acacias, since it flowers the whole year round....	DMT, NMT, nicotine, but less than 0.02% total alkaloids found
Acacia rigidula Acacia rigidula *Acacia rigidula* is native to Mexico and the southern U.S. and is closely related to Acacia berlandieri. Common names for it are Black Brush and Chaparro Prieto. It is a perennial tree which is not listed as being threatened....	DMT, NMT, tryptamine, amphetamines, mescaline, nicotine and others
Acacia roemeriana	ß-methyl-phenethylamine
Acacia salicina Acacia salicina *Acacia salicina* is a thornless species of Acacia tree native to Australia.Common names include Cooba, Native Willow, Willow Wattle, Broughton Willow,Sally Wattle and Black Wattle....	Ash used in Pituri. Not known if psychoactive.
Acacia sassa Acacia sassa *Acacia sassa* grows in the forests of Senegal.Smoke from certain parts of it is known to be psychoactive.References ...	Psychoactive
Acacia schaffneri Acacia schaffneri *Acacia schaffneri* is a tree native to Mexico and the United States ....	ß-methyl-phenethylamine, Phenethylamine Phenethylamine Phenethylamine, or ?-phenylethylamine or 2-phenylethylamine, is an alkaloid and monoamine. Phenethylamine also has a constitutional isomer a-phenylethylamine , which has two stereoisomers: --1-phenylethylamine and --1-phenylethylamine.... Amphetamines and mescaline also found.
Acacia schottii	ß-methyl-phenethylamine
Acacia senegal Acacia senegal is a small deciduous acacia tree known by the common names 'Rudraksha', 'Gum Acacia', 'Gum Arabic Tree', or 'Gum Senegal Tree'....	Less than 0.1% DMT in leaf, NMT, other tryptamines. DMT in plant, DMT in bark.
Acacia seyal Acacia seyal Red acacia is a thorny, 6-10 m high tree with a greenish or reddish bark. At the base of the 3-10 cm feathery leaves there are two straight, light grey thorns....	DMT, in the leaf. Ether extracts about 1-7% of the dried leaf mass.
Acacia sieberiana Acacia sieberiana *Acacia sieberiana* is a perennial tree native to Africa and introduced into Pakistan. This tree grows 3?25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 0.6?1.8 m....	DMT, in the leaf
Acacia simplex Acacia simplex *Acacia simplex* is a perennial climbing tree native to islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean as far east as Savai'i. It is also found in Argentina....	DMT and NMT, in the leaf, stem and trunk bark, 0.81% DMT in bark, MMT
Acacia taxensis	ß-methyl-phenethylamine
Acacia tortilis Acacia tortilis Umbrella Thorn Acacia also known as Umbrella Thorn and Israeli Babool, is a medium to large canopied tree native primarily to the savanna and Sahel of Africa , but also occurring in the Middle East....	DMT, NMT, and other tryptamines
Acacia vestita Acacia vestita Acacia vestita is a shrub native to southwestern Australia. It grows to about 3m tall and 3m in diameter. It flowers from about August to October....	Tryptamine, in the leaf and stem, but less than 0.02% total alkaloids
Acacia victoriae Acacia victoriae DescriptionAcacia victoriae commonly known as Gundabluie or Bardi bush is a shrub or tree native to Australia. It grows 2-5 m, sometimes 9 m tall....	Tryptamines, 5-MeO-alkyltryptamine

List of acacia species having little or no alkaloids in the material sampled:

0% C 0.02%, C...Concentration of Alkaloids [%]

Acacia acinacea
Acacia acinacea

Acacia acinacea is a plant....
Acacia baileyana
Acacia decurrens
Acacia decurrens

Acacia decurrens is a perennial tree or shrub native to the Greater Blue Mountains Area, which is a World Heritage Site in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia....
Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

Acacia dealbata is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory....
Acacia mearnsii
Acacia drummondii
Acacia drummondii

Acacia drummondii is a perennial tree endemic to Western Australia.References ...
Acacia elata
Acacia elata

Acacia elata is a perennial tree.References ...
Acacia falcata
Acacia falcata

Acacia falcata is a Perennial plant shrub or tree found in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Some common names for it are Burra, Sally, Sickle-shaped Acacia and Silver-leaved Wattle....
Acacia leprosa
Acacia leprosa

Acacia leprosa, also known as Cinnamon Wattle, is an acacia native to Australia. It occurs in the woodlands of the central tablelands of New South Wales....
Acacia linearis
Acacia melanoxylon
Acacia pycnantha
Acacia retinodes
Acacia retinodes

Acacia retinodes is a perennial tree which is widely distributed throughout the world. It is unusual amongst the Acacias, since it flowers the whole year round....
Acacia saligna
Acacia saligna

Acacia saligna , commonly known by various names including coojong, golden wreath wattle, orange wattle, blue-leafed wattle, Western Australian golden wattle, and, in Africa, Port Jackson willow, is a small tree in the family Fabaceae....
Acacia stricta
Acacia stricta

Acacia stricta is a perennial tree.References ...
Acacia verticillata
Acacia verticillata

Acacia verticillata is a perennial tree.References ...
Acacia vestita
Acacia vestita

Acacia vestita is a shrub native to southwestern Australia. It grows to about 3m tall and 3m in diameter. It flowers from about August to October....

Cyanogenic glycosides

Nineteen different species of Acacia in the Americas contain cyanogenic glycoside

Glycoside

In chemistry, glycosides are certain molecules in which a sugar part is bound to some other part. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms....
s, which, if exposed to an enzyme

Enzyme

Enzymes are biomolecules that catalysis chemical reactions. Almost all enzymes are proteins. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called Substrate , and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, the products....
which specifically splits glycosides, can release hydrogen cyanide

Hydrogen cyanide

Hydrogen cyanide is a chemical compound with chemical formula HCN. A solution of hydrogen cyanide in water is called hydrocyanic acid. Hydrogen cyanide is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and highly volatility liquid that boiling slightly above room temperature at 26 Celsius ....
(HCN) in the acacia "leaves." This sometimes results in the poisoning death of livestock

Livestock

Livestock is the term used to refer to a domesticated animal intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce things such as food or fibre, or for its labour....
.

If fresh plant material spontaneously produces 200 ppm or more HCN, then it is potentially toxic. This corresponds to about 7.5 µmol HCN per gram of fresh plant material. It turns out that, if acacia "leaves" lack the specific glycoside-splitting enzyme, then they may be less toxic than otherwise, even those containing significant quantities of cyanic glycosides.

Some Acacia species containing cyanogens:

Acacia erioloba
Acacia erioloba

Acacia erioloba , is also commonly known as the Camel Thorn, Kameeldoring , Giraffe Thorn or Mokala . The Mokala National Park in the Northern Cape is named after this tree....
Acacia cunninghamii
Acacia obtusifolia
Acacia sieberiana
Acacia sieberiana var. woodii

Species

There are over 1,300 species of Acacia. See List of Acacia species

List of Acacia species

Several cladistic analyses have shown that the genus Acacia is not monophyletic. While the subg. Acacia and subg. Phyllodineae are monophyletic, subg....
for a more complete listing.

Famous acacia

Perhaps the most famous acacia is the Arbre du Ténéré

Arbre du Ténéré

, known in English language as the Tree of T?n?r?, was a solitary acacia, of either Acacia raddiana or Acacia tortilis, that was once considered the most isolated tree on Earth — the only one within more than ....
in Niger

Niger

Niger , officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east....
. The reason for the tree's fame is that it used to be the most isolated tree in the world, approximately 400 km from any other tree. The tree was knocked down by a truck driver in 1973.

Identification gallery

Flowers

Bark

Foliage

Seed pods

Seeds

Thorns

Tree

Wood

General references

Clement, B.A., Goff, C.M., Forbes, T.D.A. Toxic Amines and Alkaloids from Acacia rigidula, Phytochem. 1998, 49(5), 1377.
Shulgin, Alexander and Ann, TiHKAL
TiHKAL

TiHKAL is a 1997 book written by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin about a family of psychoactive drugs known as tryptamines. A sequel to PiHKAL, the full title of the book is Tryptamines i Have Known And Loved: The Continuation....
the Continuation. Transform Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9630096-9-9

External links

on "The Unforgettable Acacias"
Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
on antiherbivore defenses in three shrub species, Jason R. Schindlera, Timothy E. Fulbright

Acacia

Classification

How to Pronounce

Geography

Description

Symbiosis

Pests

Uses

Food uses

Gum

Medicinal uses

Dietary consumption

Ornamental uses

Paints

Perfume

Symbolism and ritual

Tannin

Wood

Phytochemistry of Acacia

Alkaloids

List of acacia species having little or no alkaloids in the material sampled:

Cyanogenic glycosides

Species

Famous acacia

Identification gallery

Flowers

Bark

Foliage

Seed pods

Seeds

Thorns

Tree

Wood

See also

General references

External links