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Acacia tortilis ssp. spirocarpa

Scientific Name: Acacia tortilis ssp. spirocarpa

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Acacia tortilis

Acacia tortilis is a highly variable species with several recognized subspecies. The information below refers to various subspecies, including Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana, Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa, and Acacia tortilis subsp. tortilis.

Considerations for Pets

  • Acacia tortilis possesses thorns.
  • Gum exudates are present on some subspecies such as Acacia tortilis ssp. spirocarpa.
  • Parts of the plant, including leaves, pods, and bark, may be present in the environment.

Considerations for Children

  • Acacia tortilis possesses thorns.
  • Gum exudates are present on some subspecies such as Acacia tortilis ssp. spirocarpa.
  • Parts of the plant, including leaves, pods, and bark, may be present in the environment.

Common Names

  • South African Tree Number 188.1 (for Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa var. crinita)

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Family: Fabaceae (subfamily Mimosoideae)
  • Synonyms:
    • Acacia fasciculata Guill. & Perr.
    • Acacia raddiana Savi
    • Acacia pappii Gand.
    • Acacia petersiana Bolle
    • Acacia spirocarpa A.Rich.
    • Mimosa tortilis
  • Subspecies include:
    • Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan
    • Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Brenan
    • Acacia tortilis subsp. tortilis (Forssk.) Galasso &amp Banfi
    • Acacia tortilis subsp. heteracantha (Burch.) Brenan
  • Varieties include:
    • Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa var. crinita
    • Acacia tortilis var. spirocarpa (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Kyal. &amp Boatwr.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Acacia tortilis is found in dry areas, including:
    • Africa (e.g., Tunisia, South Sinai)
    • India (as a comparatively new introduction for A. tortilis ssp. raddiana)
    • Namibia
    • Zimbabwe
    • Kenya
    • South of Morocco
  • Specific locations mentioned include:
    • Bilisu Forest Reserve (Ghana)
    • Bou-Hedma region (Bled Talah) in Tunisia
    • Devure, Zimbabwe
    • Makueni, Kenya
  • Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana presents in arid zones of the north.

Ecological Role

  • Acacia tortilis is a pioneer tree of dry areas.
  • In the past, Acacia tortilis ssp. raddiana colonized thousands of hectares in central and southern Tunisia.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Acacia tortilis varies from multi-stemmed shrubs (ssp. tortilis) to trees up to 20 m tall.
  • Subspecies vary in shape:
    • ssp. raddiana has a rounded crown.
    • ssp. heteracantha has a flat-topped crown.
  • Pods of subsp. spirocarpa are laxly curled and covered in velvety hairs and small red glands.
  • Young branches of subsp. spirocarpa are pubescent.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The influence of Acacia tortilis on its understory vegetation has been analyzed seasonally and in relation to grazing.
  • Rhizobia have a symbiotic relationship with Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana in Africa.

Further Information

  • EOL (Encyclopedia of Life) knows about Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa (A.Rich.)Brenan.
  • Tropicos provides information on Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Brenan.
  • WWW: World Wide Wattle in the Catalogue of Life contains information on Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan.
  • Namibia Biodiversity Database Web Site has a page on Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa (A.Rich. 1847) Brenan in Namibia.