The Leaves are bipinnate, 3-4 inches long, with some six pairs of pinnae, each with some 20 pairs of leaflets, blue-green in colour and paler below than above. The ribs are covered with very short hairs.
The Flowers which appear in April are in 3-4 inch long spikes, one or two at the nodes. From ½-1 inch of the spike is flowerless, the rest densely covered with small creamy-white flowers, each having a pale green 5-lobed calyx, five pale green petals and a large mass of short, white stamens with a pistil indistinguishable amongst them.
The Fruits are pods, varying in size according as they contain 1-6 seeds. They ripen in November and remain on the tree till April, often a very heavy crop on the leafless tree. They are 1½-4 inches long and an inch broad, flat, slightly shiny, embossed at the seeds, sometimes the same width throughout, sometimes indented on the margin between one seed and another, sandy in colour, with often blotches of a darker colour. They split either whilst on the tree or fall entire and open on the ground, the seeds remaining attached to each half alternately and the two halves attached at the stalk. The seeds are round, flat, green-brown, with a U-shaped scar on each side and attached to the pod edge by a short, thick stalk. The pod is prominently cellular veined.
Uses.—The bark of the roots is twisted into ropes which are of great strength.
ACACIA SEYAL Del.—Dushe, Dussa, Jimshi, Erafi, Gishishiya. “Talh.” LEGUMINOSAE.
This very common species is noted for its occurrence as pure forest over large areas of country. It can be distinguished at a glance from A. Sieberiana, which it resembles in small trees, by its powdery orange or rust-coloured bark, or in the case of the variety A. fistula, by the colour being a milky white. It is generally a small tree from 15-30 feet in height, resembling A. arabica in form, with an umbrella-shaped or flat-topped crown formed by the ascending and spreading branches. Sometimes the secondary branches are practically horizontal and the crown wide and quite flat on the top. It bears a profuse mass of bright yellow flower-balls, highly scented and very conspicuous. It occurs in clumps or isolated examples on stony ground, not in loose sand, but where the ground is broken up and barren looking.
The Bark, the most distinguishing feature, is powdery and comes off in the hand with the appearance of minute flakes like bran. It is a rust-red or orange colour and in the case of the variety A. fistula the bark is green with the powder milk-white in colour. A clear white or yellow gum exudes from the slash, which is light red and white, with brown edges. A. fistula is light red with green edges.
The Thorns are similar to those of A. arabica, but shorter, 1-2 inches long, white with black points, straight, strong and sharp and at an angle of about 100° to each other. The base is frequently largely swollen. Near the tips of the twigs little recurved thorns occur in place of the long, straight ones.