Vachellia abyssinica, the flat top acacia, is a tree up to 16 m tall.
| Vachellia abyssinica | |
|---|---|
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| An umbrella acacia (Vachellia tortilis), right, and a flat top acacia (Vachellia abyssinica), left. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Vachellia |
| Species: | V. abyssinica
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| Binomial name | |
| Vachellia abyssinica (Hochst. ex. Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr.[1]
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| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Description
editIts bark is reddish-brown on older trees. On younger trees it is pale yellowish-brown, peeling off in papery wads. Young twigs are softly hairy. Thorns are aligned in straight pairs at nodes. Leaves are in pinnae pairs of 20-40; the leaflets are very small, up to 4 × 0.75 mm. The inflorescence is arranged in white spherical heads. The involucel is located in the lower half of the peduncle. Seed pods are dehiscent.[2]
Distribution
editFrom Ethiopia southwards to Zimbabwe and Mozambique and westwards to Angola.[3][2]
References
edit- ^ Kyalangalilwa B, Boatwright JS, Daru BH, Maurin O, van der Bank M (2013). "Phylogenetic position and revised classification of Acacia s.l. (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) in Africa, including new combinations in Vachellia and Senegalia". Bot J Linn Soc. 172 (4): 500–523. doi:10.1111/boj.12047. hdl:10566/3454.
- ^ a b Encyclopedia of Life. "Details for: Vachellia abyssinica (as Acacia abyssinica)". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ "Vachellia abyssinica (Hochst. ex Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2020-07-04.