Senegalia polyacantha

Senegalia polyacantha
	Senegalia polyacantha subsp. polyacantha, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Clade:	Mimosoid clade
Genus:	Senegalia
Species:	S. polyacantha
Binomial name
	Senegalia polyacantha; (Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger
Subspecies
	Senegalia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha (Hochst. ex. A.Rich.) Kyal. & Boatwr.; Senegalia polyacantha subsp. polyacantha (Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger;
Synonyms
	Acacia catechu sensu Griseb.; Acacia catechu auct. non L.; Acacia polyacantha Willd.; Acacia suma (Roxb.) Voigt; Gagnebina tamariscina sensu Bojer; Mimosa suma Roxb.; Senegalia suma (Roxb.) Britton & Rose;

Senegalia polyacantha (syn. Acacia polyacantha), also known as white thorn, is a flowering tree which can grow up to 25 m tall. The species name polyacantha has the meaning "many thorns" in Latin. The tree is native to Africa, India, the Indian Ocean and Asia, but it has also been introduced to the Caribbean.

Taxonomy

There are two subspecies:

Senegalia polyacantha subsp. polyacantha — Indian subcontinent.
Senegalia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha — Africa. Leaves very finely divided bipinnate, with up to 60 pairs of primary pinnae, each with as many as 66 pairs of leaflets.

Uses

Gum

The tree's gum is used in the manufacture of candy.

Medicinal purposes

The roots and perhaps its bark have medicinal uses. The root extract is useful for snakebites and is applied to wash the skin of children who are agitated at night time. The root is also used for treating gonorrhea, venereal diseases, dysentery and gastrointestinal disorders.

Tannin

The bark is useful for tanning.

Wood

The tree's primary use is for wood.

References

1 2 ILDIS LegumeWeb(ILDIS)
1 2 3 4 5 PlantZAfrica.com
↑ "Senegalia polyacantha (Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
↑ Brenan, J.P.M. (1970). "Leguminosae". Flora Zambesiaca. 3 (1): 71.
↑ van der Maesen, L. J. G.; van der Burgt, X. M.; van Medenbach de Rooy, J. M. (1996). The Biodiversity of African Plants. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 254. ISBN 0792340957. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
1 2 3 Uhlig, Siegbert (2003). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: A-C. Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 66. ISBN 3447047461. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
↑ Speedy, Andrew. "Acacia polyacantha". www.fao.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.

External links

Media related to Senegalia polyacantha at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Senegalia polyacantha at Wikispecies
Acacia polyacantha in West African plants – A Photo Guide.

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[ildis-1] 1 2 ILDIS LegumeWeb(ILDIS)

[plantz-2] 1 2 3 4 5 PlantZAfrica.com

[POWO-3] "Senegalia polyacantha (Willd.) Seigler & Ebinger". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 July 2025.

[4] Brenan, J.P.M. (1970). "Leguminosae". Flora Zambesiaca. 3 (1): 71.

[5] van der Maesen, L. J. G.; van der Burgt, X. M.; van Medenbach de Rooy, J. M. (1996). The Biodiversity of African Plants. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 254. ISBN 0792340957. Retrieved 10 November 2012.

[encyclopaedia-aethiopica-6] 1 2 3 Uhlig, Siegbert (2003). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: A-C. Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 66. ISBN 3447047461. Retrieved 10 November 2012.

[7] Speedy, Andrew. "Acacia polyacantha". www.fao.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.