Acacia

About 1,300; see List of Acacia species

Uses

Industrial and medicinal uses

Various species of acacia yield gum. True gum arabic is the product of Acacia senegal, abundant in dry tropical west Africa from Senegal to northern Nigeria.

Related Topics:
Gum arabic - Acacia senegal - Senegal - Nigeria

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Acacia arabica is the gum-arabic tree of India, but yields a gum inferior to the true gum-arabic. The bark of Acacia arabica, under the name of babul or babool, is used in Scinde for tanning. In Ayurvedic medicine, babul is considered a remedy that is helpful for treating premature ejaculation.

Related Topics:
Acacia arabica - Ayurvedic medicine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The bark of various Australian species, known as wattles, is very rich in tannin and forms an important article of export; important species include Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle), Acacia decurrens (Tan Wattle), Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) and Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle). Black Wattle is grown in plantations in South Africa. The pods of Acacia nilotica (under the name of neb-neb), and of other African species are also rich in tannin and used by tanners.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some species afford valuable timber; such are Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) from Australia, which attains a great size; its wood is used for furniture, and takes a high polish; and Acacia homalophylla (Myall Wood, also Australian), which yields a fragrant timber, used for ornamental purposes. Acacia formosa supplies the valuable Cuban timber called sabicu. Acacia seyal is thought to be the shittah tree of the Bible, which supplied shittim-wood. This was used in the construction of the Ark of the Covenant. As a spiritual icon it is also one of the most powerful symbols in freemasonry, representing the eternal soul and purity of the soul. Acacia heterophylla from Réunion island, and Acacia koa from the Hawaiian Islands are excellent timber trees.

Related Topics:
Australia - Myall Wood - Acacia formosa - Cuba - Acacia seyal - Bible - Ark of the Covenant - Freemasonry - Acacia heterophylla - Réunion - Acacia koa - Hawaiian Islands

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Acacia farnesiana is used in the perfume industry due to its strong fragrance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

An astringent medicine, called catechu or cutch, is procured from several species, but more especially from Acacia catechu, by boiling down the wood and evaporating the solution so as to get an extract.

Related Topics:
Catechu - Acacia catechu

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ornamental uses

A few species are widely grown as ornamentals in gardens; the most popular perhaps is Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle), with its attractive glaucous to silvery leaves and bright yellow flowers; it is erroneously known as "mimosa" in some areas where it is cultivated, through confusion with the related genus Mimosa.

Related Topics:
Garden - Mimosa

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Culinary uses

Acacia seeds are often used for food and a variety of other products. The seeds of Acacia niopo, for instance, are roasted and used as snuff in South America.

Related Topics:
Acacia seed - Acacia niopo - Snuff - South America

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Australia, Acacia species are sometimes used as food plants by the larvae of hepialid moths of the genus Aenetus. These burrow horizontally into the trunk then vertically down. In Laos and Thailand, the feathery shoots of Acacia pennata (common name cha-om) are used in soups, curries, omelettes, and stir-fries.

Related Topics:
Larva - Hepialid - Moth - Aenetus - Laos - Thailand - Acacia pennata

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pharmacological uses

Many Acacia species contain some psychoactive alkaloids of which DMT and NMT are the most prominent and useful. The leaves, stems and/or roots can be made into a brew together with some MAOI-containing plant to obtain an effect when taken orally. This could be seen as a kind of Ayahuasca.

Related Topics:
DMT - NMT - MAOI - Ayahuasca

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Alkaloids in different species, from TiHKAL (by Alexander Shulgin):

Related Topics:
TiHKAL - Alexander Shulgin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. baileyana0.02% tryptamine and β-carbolines, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. maideniiDMT and NMT, in the stem bark

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. albidaDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. confusaDMT and NMT, in the leaf, stem and bark

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. cultriformistryptamine, in the leaf and stem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. laetaDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. melliferaDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. niloticaDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. phlebophyllaDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. podalyriaefoliatryptamine, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. senegalDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. seyalDMT, in the leaf

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. sieberianaDMT, in the leaf)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. simplicifoliaDMT and NMT, in the leaf, stem and trunk bark

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A. vestitatryptamine, in the leaf and stem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~