Vachellia Wight & Arn.

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Shrub and small tree to 4(–5) m tall, leaves and inflorescences often originating from short shoots

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules modified to spines up to 5 cm long

Morphology Leaves

Leaves bipinnate, gland present on distal part of petiole, leaflets opposite, sessile, apex mucronate, venation asymmetric, prominent below

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences in upper axils, pedunculate glomerules in groups of 1–7, bracts at the peduncle apex hidden by flowers. Flowers bisexual, uniform, 5-merous; calyx tubular for most of its length, triangular lobes at apex; corolla tubular for most of its length, longer than calyx; stamens numerous; ovary subsessile, puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit straight to slightly curved, rounded in cross-section, indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds separated from each other by pith.

Distribution

In New Guinea, Vachellia is both naturalised in open woodlands and waste ground up to 400 m and cultivated (often as a hedge) up to 1200 m. A pantropical group of about 160 species with a single naturalised species in New Guinea: Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Wight & Arn.