Faidherbia albida (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev.

Family: Leguminosae - Mimosoideae

Synonyms

• Acacia albida Del.

Vernacular names

• Apple-ring acacia, white acacia (En).
• Arbre blanc (Fr).

Distribution

Widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa and the Middle East; introduced into many other areas, including South-East Asia.

Uses

Shade tree and soil improver in seasonally dry areas. The tree is excellent for interplanting as it is leafless during the rainy season and provides shade during the hot, dry season. Fuelwood is generally harvested by lopping branches from living trees. Foliage and pods supply forage, medicine, and toxins. The seeds contain about 27% protein. The bark contains tannins. The wood ash can be used for soap.

Observations

• Tree, 6-30 m tall, with rough, dark brown or greenish-grey bark and spreading branches. Young branches whitish.
• Leaves bipinnately compound; stipules spiny, up to 2 cm long, straight, not inflated; rachis with a conspicuous gland at junction of each of the 3-10 pairs of pinnae; leaflets 6-23 pairs, (2.5-)3.5-6(-12) mm × 0.7-2.5(-4) mm.
• Inflorescence a spike 3.5-14 cm long; peduncle 1.3-3.5 cm long.
• Flowers cream; pedicel 0-2 mm long.
• Pod falcate or coiled, 6-25 cm × 2-5 cm, bright orange, thick, indehiscent, usually glabrous.
• Seed ellipsoid to lens-shaped, 9-11 mm × 6-8 mm; areole central, large, 7-9 mm × 4-6 mm.

F. albida occurs most commonly on medium to light, neutral to acid soils up to 2500 m altitude and tolerates seasonal waterlogging and slight salinity. For good growth it requires about 650 mm annual rainfall, if groundwater is accessible it still grows well with only 250 mm. It would be worthwhile trying this tree in the driest parts of South-East Asia.

Selected sources

• Centre Technique Forestier Tropical, 1989. Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. (Synonym Acacia albida Del.): a monograph. Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), Wageningen, the Netherlands and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT), Nogent sur Marne, France. 66 pp.
• Flora of Tropical East Africa (various editors), 1952-. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom & A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
• Gupta, R.K., 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilization. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, India. 562 pp.
• Mansfeld, R., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaflicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen (ohne Zierpflanzen) [Register of cultivated agricultural and horticultural plants (without ornamentals)]. Schultze-Motel, J. et al., editors 2nd edition, 4 volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 1998 pp.
• National Academy of Sciences, 1980, 1983. Firewood crops: Shrub and tree species for energy production. 2 volumes. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., United States. 237, 92 pp.
• Webb, D.B., Wood, P.J. & Smith, J.P., 1984. A guide to species selection for tropical and sub-tropical plantations. 2nd Edition. Tropical Forestry Papers No 15. University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. 256 pp.

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen