| DESCRIPTION: It is a large, spreading evergreen to semi-deciduous tree or shrub reaching up to 2-22 m in height. It is very deep-rooted and tap roots have been found at 45 m depth in boreholes. USE: Grown as an ornamental. Livestock as well as wildlife browse the pods, leaves and flowers. The seeds contain up to 33% protein and yield 3,5% of a orange-coloured fat and are used boths as food and as feed for cattle. The tree also provide shade and enrich the soil with fallen debris. It is dense and heavy and the larger trees provide reasonable sized planks. It is extensively used for fencepoles, hut poles, hoe handles, pestles, mining timber and firewood. The pods are used to treat infected ears. The gum is use to treat coughs, colds, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea. Bark is used as a remedy for headaches and diarrhoea. Roots are used for cough mixture, and to prevents nosebleeds, to treat tooth-ache and tuberculosis. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Camel thorn, Camel-thorn acacia, Giraffe thorn. FURTHER INF: It can be found on the Kalahari sands of southern Africa and in large parts of Namibia, Botswana, Southern Angola, Zambia and Mozambiq and the Northern Cape of South Africa. It occurs frequently on Kalahari sands and in other areas where deep, sandy soils are prevalent on dunes, plains, and in and along river beds. An extreme temperature range of from -15°C to 45°C is found in its range of distribution. The average rainfall in its area of distribution varies from less than 50 mm per annum in the Namib Desert in Namibia to more than 900 mm per annum in Zambia. It is intolerant of fire which either kills the tree or causes coppicing. |
