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Description
A somewhat obconical shrub, 1 to 5 m high, often with branches
radiating from the base in all directions; branchlets grey-white, straight,
stout; grey-white spines with brown tips, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long. Pinnae in
3 to 12 pairs, leaflets in 5 to 15 pairs, about 0.3 cm long. Flowers in
globose heads, off-white, very fragrant, though the bush often has an offensive
smell. Pod pale yellow, longitudinally striate, distinctive, linear-elliptic,
pointed at both ends, 5 to 10 cm long, 1.25 cm broad. Seeds olive-green,
five to ten (Andrews, 1952).
Distribution
Found in north-east Africa from Egypt to Kenya, and in Iraq
and Iran. It occurs on alluvial silts.
Characteristics
An important browse shrub in the drier parts of Kenya; the
leaves and pods are high in calcium, but the leaves have more phosphorus
(Dougall and Bogdan, 1958).
Links for the genus:
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