Acacia sieberiana
Encyclopedia
Acacia sieberiana is a perennial tree native to Africa
and introduced into Pakistan
. It is known in South Africa as the Paperbark Thorn.
This tree grows 3–25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 0.6–1.8 m.
It is not listed as being a threatened species
.
The flowers of the tree make good forage for bee
s and bee hive
s are put directly in the trees for this.
The tree leaves sometimes contain chemical compounds that when ingested may release hydrogen cyanide and they can be lethal to cattle
. They can be lifesaving during dry times of the year.
, the bark or root is used to treat urinary tract inflammation
.
The bark has astringent
properties and it is used to treat colds, cough
, and childhood fever
.
According to the World AgroForestry Centre,
), from which surrounding crops benefit.
, handles for implements and tools for grinding. The wood of A. sieberiana sensu lato has a density of about 655 kg/m³.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and introduced into Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is known in South Africa as the Paperbark Thorn.
This tree grows 3–25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 0.6–1.8 m.
It is not listed as being a threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
.
Forage
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s and bee hive
Bee Hive
The term Bee Hive can refer to:*Bee hive, an alternate spelling of the word beehive*Bee Hive, Alabama, an unincorporated community*The Bee-Hive , a 19th century British newspaper*Bee Hive Records, a jazz record label...
s are put directly in the trees for this.
The tree leaves sometimes contain chemical compounds that when ingested may release hydrogen cyanide and they can be lethal to cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. They can be lifesaving during dry times of the year.
Traditional medicinal uses
In AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the bark or root is used to treat urinary tract inflammation
Inflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
.
The bark has astringent
Astringent
An astringent substance is a chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application. The word "astringent" derives from Latin adstringere, meaning "to bind fast"...
properties and it is used to treat colds, cough
Cough
A cough is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes...
, and childhood fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
.
According to the World AgroForestry Centre,
"A decoctionDecoctionDecoction is a method of extraction, by boiling, of dissolved chemicals, or herbal or plant material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes. Decoction involves first mashing, and then boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances...
of the root is taken as remedy for stomach-ache. The bark, leaves and gums are used to treat tapeworm, bilharzia, haemorrhage, orchitisOrchitisOrchitis or orchiditis is a condition of the testes involving inflammation. It can also involve swelling and frequent infection.-Symptoms:Symptoms of orchitis are similar to those of testicular torsion...
, colds, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, kidneyKidneyThe kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
problems, syphilisSyphilisSyphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
, ophthalmiaOphthalmiaOphthalmia is inflammation of the eye. It is a medical sign which may be indicative of various conditions, including sympathetic ophthalmia , gonococcal ophthalmia, trachoma or "Egyptian" ophthalmia, ophthalmia neonatorum ,...
, rheumatismRheumatismRheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
and disorders of the circulatory systemCirculatory systemThe circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
. It is also used as an astringent. The pods serve as an emollient, and the roots for stomach-ache, acneAcneAcne is a general term used for acneiform eruptions. It is usually used as a synonym for acne vulgaris, but may also refer to:*Acne aestivalis*Acne conglobata*Acne cosmetica*Acne fulminans*Acne keloidalis nuchae*Acne mechanica...
, tapeworms, urethraUrethraIn anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...
l problems, oedema and dropsy."
Nitrogen fixation
The tree is a legume, so it takes nitrogen gas out of the air and converts it into nitrogen fertilizer (this phenomenon is known as nitrogen fixationNitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the natural process, either biological or abiotic, by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia . This process is essential for life because fixed nitrogen is required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life, e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA and...
), from which surrounding crops benefit.
Wood
The wood is fairly hard and it is used for furnitureFurniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, handles for implements and tools for grinding. The wood of A. sieberiana sensu lato has a density of about 655 kg/m³.
Botanical varieties
- Acacia sieberiana DC. var. sieberiana
- Acacia sieberiana DC. var. woodii (Burtt Davy) Keay & Brenan