Vachellia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae, commonly known as thorn trees or acacias. It belongs to the subfamily Mimosoideae. Its species were considered members of genus Acacia until 2009. Vachellia can be distinguished from other acacias by its capitate inflorescences and spinescent stipules. Before discovery of the New World, Europeans in the Mediterranean region were familiar with several species of Vachellia, which they knew as sources of medicine, and had names for them that they inherited from the Greeks and Romans.
The wide-ranging genus occurs in a variety of open, tropical to subtropical habitats, and is locally dominant. In parts of Africa, Vachellia species are shaped progressively by grazing animals of increasing size and height, such as gazelle, gerenuk, and giraffe. The genus in Africa has thus developed thorns in defence against such herbivory.
Nomenclature
By 2005, taxonomists had decided that Acacia sensu lato should be split into at least five separate genera. The ICN dictated that under these circumstances, the name of Acacia should remain with the original type, which was Acacia nilotica. However, that year the General Committee of the IBC decided that Acacia should be given a new type (Acacia penninervis) so that the ~920 species of Australian acacias would not need to be renamed Racosperma. This decision was opposed by 54.9% or 247 representatives at its 2005 congress, while 45.1% or 203 votes were cast in favor. However, since a 60% vote was required to override the committee, the decision was carried, and a nom. cons. propositum was listed in Appendix III (p. 286). The 2011 congress voted 373 to 172 to uphold the 2005 decision, which means that the name Acacia and a new type follow the majority of the species in Acacia sensu lato, rather than this genus. However, some members of the botanical community remain unconvinced, and the use of Acacia in the scientific literature continues to exceed the use of the new generic names.
Description
The members of Vachellia are trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, and are always armed. Younger plants, especially, are armed with spines which are modified stipules, situated near the leaf bases. Some (cf. V. tortilis, ', V. luederitzii and V. reficiens) are also armed with paired, recurved prickles (in addition to the spines). The leaves are alternate and bipinnately arranged, and their pinnae are usually opposite. The racemose inflorescences usually grow from the leaf axils. The yellow or creamy white flowers are produced in spherical heads, or seldom in elongate spikes, which is the general rule in the related genus Senegalia. The flowers are typically bisexual with numerous stamens, but unisexual flowers have been noted in V. nilotica (cf. Sinha, 1971). The calyx and corolla are usually 4 to 5-lobed. Glands are usually present on the rachis and the upper side of the petiole. The seed pod may be straight, curved or curled, and either dehiscent or indehiscent.
Species list
Of the 163 species currently assigned to Vachellia, 52 are native to the Americas, 83 to Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands, 32 to Asia and 9 to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Vachellia comprises the following species:
- Vachellia baessleri <small>Clarke, Siegler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia barahonensis <small>(Urb. & Ekman) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia bavazzanoi <small>(Pichi-Sermolli) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia belairioides <small>(Urb.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂBellair acacia
- Vachellia bellula <small>(Drake) Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia biaciculata <small>(S. Watson) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia bidwillii <small>(Benth.) Kodela</small>âÂÂcorkwood wattle, dogwood. "'Waneu', of the aboriginals of Central Queensland; 'Yadthor', of those of the Cloncurry River, Northern Queensland."
- Vachellia bilimekii <small>(J. Macbr.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia bolei (<small>R.P. Subhedar</small>) Ragupathy, Seigler, Ebinger & Maslin
- Vachellia borleae <small>(Burtt Davy) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂsticky acacia, named for the collector Jeanne M. Borle.
- Vachellia brandegeana <small>(I. M. Johnst.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂBaja California acacia
- Vachellia bravoensis <small>(Isely) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia bricchettiana <small>(Chiov.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia bucheri <small>(Marie-VictorÃÂn) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂBucher acacia
- Vachellia bullockii <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. bullockii <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. induta <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia burttii <small>(Bak. f.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia bussei <small>(Harms ex Sjöstedt) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia californica <small>(Brandegee) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia campechiana <small>(Mill.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂboatthorn acacia, spoon-thorn acacia
- f. campechiana <small>(Mill.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- f. houghii <small>(Britton & Rose) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia caurina <small>(Barneby & Zanoni) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia caven <small>(Molina) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. caven <small>(Molina) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. dehiscens <small>(Ciald.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. microcarpa <small>(Speg.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. stenocarpa <small>(Speg.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia cernua <small>(Thulin & Hassan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia chiapensis <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂChiapas acacia
- Vachellia choriophylla <small>(Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂcinnecord acacia, Florida acacia, (Bahamas) cinnecord
- Vachellia clarksoniana <small>(Pedley) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia collinsii <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂCollins acacia
- Vachellia constricta <small>(Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂWhitethorn acacia, Mescat acacia
- Vachellia cookii <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂCook acacia, cockspur acacia
- Vachellia cornigera <small>(L.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂbullhorn wattle, bull's-horn acacia, bull-horn thorn, oxhorn acacia
- Vachellia cucuyo <small>(Barneby & Zanoni) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂCucuyo acacia
- Vachellia curvifructa <small>(Burkart) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia daemon <small>(Ekman & Urb.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂCamagüey acacia
- Vachellia davyi <small>(N.E.Br.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂcorky-bark acacia
- Vachellia ditricha <small>(Pedley) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia dolichocephala <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia douglasica <small>(Pedley) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia drepanolobium <small>(Harms ex Sjöstedt) P.J.H. Hurter</small>âÂÂwhistling thorn
- Vachellia dyeri <small>(P.P.Swartz) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia eburnea <small>(L.f.) P. Hurter & Mabb.</small>
- Vachellia ebutsiniorum <small>(P.J.H. Hurter) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂEbutsini acacia
- Vachellia edgeworthii <small>(T.Anders.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia elatior <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. elatior <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. turkanae <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia erioloba <small>(E.Mey.) P.J.H. Hurter</small>âÂÂcamel thorn (Kameeldoring)
- Vachellia erythrophloea <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia etbaica <small>(Schweinf.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂsavannah thorn
- subsp. australis <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. etbaica <small>(Schweinf.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. platycarpa <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. uncinata <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia exuvialis <small>(Verdoorn) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂflaky-bark acacia
- Vachellia farnesiana <small>(L.) Wight & Arn.</small>âÂÂhuisache
- var. farnesiana <small>(L.) Wight & Arn.</small>
- var. guanacastensis <small>(H.D.Clarke et al.) Wight & Arn.</small>
- var. minuta <small>(M.E.Jones) Wight & Arn.</small>
- var. pinetorum <small>(F.J.Herm.) Wight & Arn.</small>âÂÂpineland wattle
- Vachellia fischeri <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂflat-topped thorn
- Vachellia flava <small>(Forssk.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia gentlei <small>(Standley) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂgentle acacia
- Vachellia gerrardii <small>(Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter</small>âÂÂred acacia
- var. calvescens <small>(Brenan) P.J.H. Hurter</small>
- var. gerrardii <small>(Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter</small>
- var. latisiliqua <small>(Brenan) P.J.H. Hurter</small>
- Vachellia glandulifera <small>(S. Watson) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia globulifera <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂglobular acacia
- Vachellia grandicornuta <small>(Gerstner) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂhorned-thorn acacia
- Vachellia guanacastensis <small>(Clark, Seigler, & Ebinger) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia gummifera <small>(Willd.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂgum-bearing acacia
- Vachellia haematoxylon <small>(Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂgray camel thorn, giraffe thorn
- Vachellia harmandiana <small>(Pierre) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia hebeclada <small>(DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂcandle-pod acacia
- subsp. chobiensis <small>(O.B.Miller) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. hebeclada <small>(DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. tristis <small>(A.Schreiber) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia hindsii <small>(Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂHinds acacia
- Vachellia hockii <small>(De Wild.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia horrida <small>(L.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂlong white-galled acacia
- subsp. benadirensis <small>(Chiov.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. horrida <small>(L.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia hydaspica <small>(J.R. Drumm. ex R. Parker) Ali</small>
- Vachellia inopinata <small>(Prain) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia insulae-iacobi <small>(L. Riley) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia jacquemontii (<small>Benth.</small>) aliâÂÂbaonḷë, raati-banwali
- Vachellia janzenii <small>(Ebinger & Seigler) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂJanzen acacia
- Vachellia karroo <small>(Hayne) Banfi & Galasso</small>âÂÂKarroo Bush
- Vachellia kingii <small>(Prain) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia kirkii <small>(Oliv.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂflood plain acacia
- subsp. kirkii <small>(Oliv.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. kirkii <small>(Oliv.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. sublaevis <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. mildbraedii <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia koltermanii <small>R. GarcÃÂa, M. MejÃÂa, Ebinger, & Seigler</small>
- Vachellia kosiensis <small>(P.P.Sw. ex Coates Palgr.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂdune acacia, dune sweet-thorn
- Vachellia lahai <small>(Steud. & Hochst. ex. Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂred-thorn acacia
- Vachellia lasiopetala <small>(Oliv.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia latispina <small>(J.E.Burrows & S.M.Burrows) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia leucophloea <small>(Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂpilang
- var. leucophloea <small>(Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. microcephala <small>(Kurz) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia leucospira <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia luederitzii <small>(Engl.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂbastard umbrella thorn
- var. luederitzii <small>(Engl.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂKalahari-sand acacia
- var. retinens <small>(Sim) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂballoon-thorn acacia
- Vachellia macracantha <small>(Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂlongspine acacia, French casha, long-spine acacia, porknut, cambrón, long-spined acacia, (Jamaica) parknut, (Virgin Islands) wild tamarind, (Netherlands Antilles) Creole casha, Spanish casha, steel acacia, (Virgin Islands) stink casha, strink casha
- Vachellia macrothyrsa <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia malacocephala <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂblack-galled acacia
- Vachellia mayana <small>(Lundell) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂMaya Acacia
- Vachellia oerfota <small>(Forssk) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. brevifolia <small>(Boulos) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. oerfota <small>(Forssk) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia origena <small>(Hunde) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia ormocarpoides <small>(P.J.H. Hurter) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂLeolo thorn
- Vachellia oviedoensis <small>(R. GarcÃÂa & M. MejÃÂa) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia pacensis <small>(Rudd & Carter) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia planifrons <small>Wight & Arn.</small>
- Vachellia pachyphloia <small>(W. Fitzg.) Kodela</small>
- subsp. brevipinnula <small>(Tindale & Kodela) Kodela</small>
- subsp. pachyphloia <small>(W. Fitzg.) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia pallidifolia <small>(Tindale) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia paolii <small>(Chiov.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. paolii <small>(Chiov.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. paucijuga <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia pennatula <small>(Schltdl. & Cham.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂfeather acacia
- var. parvicephala <small>Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. pennatula <small>(Schltdl. & Cham.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia permixta <small>(Burtt Davy) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂslender acacia
- Vachellia pilispina <small>(Pichi-Sermolli) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂmpande
- Vachellia polypyrigenes <small>(Greenm.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia prasinata <small>(Hunde) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia pringlei <small>(Rose) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂPringle acacia
- var. californica âÂÂCalifornia Pringle acacia
- var. pringlei <small>(Rose) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂtypical Pringle acacia
- Vachellia pseudofistula <small>(Harms) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂant-galled acacia
- Vachellia qandalensis <small>(Thulin) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia quintanilhae <small>(Torre) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia reficiens <small>(Wawra) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂred-bark acacia
- subsp. misera <small>(Vatke) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- subsp. reficiens <small>(Wawra) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia rehmanniana <small>(Schinz) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂsilky acacia
- Vachellia rigidula <small>(Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂblackbrush acacia, blackbrush
- Vachellia robbertsei <small>(P.P.Swartz) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂSekhukhune acacia
- Vachellia robusta <small>(Burch.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂsplendid acacia
- subsp. clavigera <small>(E.Mey.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂriver acacia
- subsp. robusta <small>(Burch.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂrobust acacia
- subsp. usambarensis <small>(Taub.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia roigii <small>(Léon) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂRoig acacia
- Vachellia rorudiana <small>(Christopherson) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂGalapagos acacia
- Vachellia ruddiae <small>(D. H. Janzen) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂRudd acacia
- Vachellia schaffneri <small>(S. Watson) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂSchaffner's wattle, twisted acacia
- var. bravoensis <small>(Isely) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- var. schaffneri <small>(S. Watson) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia schottii <small>(Torr.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂSchott's wattle
- Vachellia sekhukhuniensis <small>(P.J.H. Hurter) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂSekhukhune thorn
- Vachellia seyal <small>(Delile) P.J.H. Hurter</small>âÂÂwhite whistling thorn
- var. fistula <small>(Schweinf.) P.J.H. Hurter</small>
- var. seyal <small>(Delile) P.J.H. Hurter</small>
- Vachellia siamensis <small>(Craib) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia sieberiana <small>(DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂlongpod thorn, false paperbark thorn
- var. sieberiana <small>(DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. villosa <small>(A.Chev.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. woodii <small>(Burtt Davy) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂpaperbark acacia, paperbark thorn
- Vachellia sphaerocephala <small>(Schltdl. & Cham.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂroundhead acacia, bee wattle
- Vachellia stuhlmannii <small>(Taub.) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂolive-barked thorn, vlei acacia
- Vachellia suberosa <small>(A. Cunn. ex Benth.) Kodela</small>âÂÂcorkybark wattle
- Vachellia sutherlandii <small>(F. Muell.) Kodela</small>âÂÂcorkwood wattle
- Vachellia swazica <small>(Burtt Davy) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂSwazi acacia
- Vachellia tenuispina <small>(Verdoorn) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂturf acacia
- Vachellia tephrophylla <small>(Thulin) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia theronii <small>(P.P.Sw.) Boatwr.</small>âÂÂslender mountain thorn
- Vachellia tomentosa <small>(Rottler) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂklampis
- Vachellia torrei <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂMozambique sticky thorn
- Vachellia tortilis <small>(Forssk.) Galasso & Banfi</small>âÂÂumbrella thorn, umbrella acacia
- subsp. heteracantha <small>(Burch.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- subsp. raddiana <small>(Savi) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- var. pubescens <small>(A.Chev.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- var. raddiana <small>(Savi) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- subsp. spirocarpa <small>(Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- var. crinita <small>(Chiov.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- var. spirocarpa <small>(Hochst. ex. A.Rich.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- subsp. tortilis <small>(Forssk.) Galasso & Banfi</small>
- Vachellia tortuosa <small>(L.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂtwisted acacia, acacia bush, casia, catclaw, Dutch casha, huisachillo, Rio Grande acacia, sweet briar, sweet-briar, wild poponax
- Vachellia turnbulliana <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂvelvet pod acacia
- Vachellia valida <small>(Tindale & Kodela) Kodela</small>
- Vachellia vernicosa <small>(Britton & Rose) Seigler & Ebinger</small>âÂÂviscid acacia
- Vachellia viguieri <small>(Villiers & Du Puy) Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia villaregalis <small>(McVaugh) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia walwalensis <small>(Gilliland) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- Vachellia xanthophloea <small>(Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter</small>âÂÂfever tree
- Vachellia zanzibarica <small>(S.Moore) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>âÂÂcoastal whistling thorn
- var. microphylla <small>(Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
- var. zanzibarica <small>(S.Moore) Kyal. & Boatwr.</small>
Incertae sedis
These species are suspected to belong to Vachellia, but have not been formally transferred.
Hybrids
- Vachellia ÃÂ cedilloi <small>(Rico Arce) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia campechiana ÃÂ pennatula
- Vachellia erioloba ÃÂ haematoxylon
- Vachellia ÃÂ gladiata <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
- Vachellia kirkii ÃÂ seyal
- Vachellia macracantha ÃÂ pennatula
- Vachellia seyal var. fistula ÃÂ xanthophloea
- Vachellia ÃÂ standleyi <small>(Saff.) Seigler & Ebinger</small>
References