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Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. |
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Leguminosae
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Author:
Le Houérou
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This description is specific for subsp. sericophylla (Benth.) Brenan. Small tree reaching 3 to 6 m. in height, with a wide, dense, round or umbrella-shaped canopy. Bark greyish and creviced, twigs dark yellowish-grey, with lenticels. Leaves bipinnate 10-20 cm long with 10-40 pairs of pinnulae and 15-30 pairs of leaflets per pinnula. Leaflets oblong 0.2-0.7 x 0.05-0.2 cm. Flowers white, cream or rosate, in more or less globulous heads, 2.5 cm in diameter, often extremely numerous. At flowering time (January-February in Kenya) the crowns are white and resemble cherry trees in full blossom. Pods oblong, 10-30 cm long x 2-5 wide, more or less pubescent and brown at maturity. Often found on cliffs and rocky habitats. From Chad eastwards, to East and South Africa. It extends to the eastern half of the Sudanian ecozone savannas to the border of the Sahel, uncommon. Occurs in the Baringo district of Kenya at 1775 metres. Leaves eaten by cattle, goats and sheep (from lopped branches) but are not particularly well liked by these animals as the trees are lopped only when more palatable fodder is not available. Flowers are preferred and are either picked from the ground after they are shed or eaten from lopped branches. Also used for firewood. Nutritional Quality and Animal Production Both leaves and flowers appear to have a high feeding value, with a crude protein content of over 26 percent of the dry matter. Crude fibre figures are not very high, though they are less in the flowers than the leaves. Dougall and Bogdan 1958. Andrews 1952 ; Brenan 1959 ; Dale & Greenway 1961 ; El Amin 1973 ; El Amin 1990 ; Geerling 1982/88. |