Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Mimosoideae | > | Acacia | > | gerrardii |
Synonyms: |
Vachellia gerrardii (Benth.) P.J.H. Hurter |
Common names: | Grey-haired acacia (English) Red thorn (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Small tree with distinctly ascending branches. Young branches robust, densely covered in tufted leaves and grey velvety hairs; Spines paired, mostly straight, c. 1.5 cm but some pairs long and somewhat recurved. Leaves tufted on woody cushions, up 6 × 4 cm with 5-9 pairs of pinnae, bearing many small, finely pubescent leaflets. Flowers in axillary clusters of spherical heads, white. Pod 8-15 cm, sickle-shaped, narrow, rounded, not woody, covered in grey velvety hairs, dehiscent. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | gerrardii: named after William T. Gerrard, English traveller and naturalist, who collected the type specimen in KwaZulu-Natal |
Habitat: | |
Flowering time: | Sep - Feb |
Worldwide distribution: | Throughout most of Tropical Africa to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Botswana distribution: | N,SW,SE |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Anthene amarah amarah (Food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Brenan, J.P.M. (1970). Mimosoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(1) Pages 105 - 106. as Acacia gerrardii Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 210. as Acacia gerrardii gerrardii gerrardii Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 193. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 2. As Acacia gerrardii gerrardii calvescens Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 214. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 240. As Acacia gerrardii Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 44. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 59. Timberlake, J., Fagg, C. & Barnes, R. (1999). Field Guide to the Acacias of Zimbabwe CBC Publishing, Harare Pages 60 - 63. (Includes a picture). |
Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Mimosoideae | > | Acacia | > | gerrardii |