Albizia anthelmintica (A.Rich.) Brongn.

Leaves and seed pods

Family:	Fabaceae
Full name:	Albizia anthelmintica (A.Rich.) Brongn.
Location:	Kyffhäuser (2416AD + 2416CB)
ID status:	Fairly certain
Afrikaans common name(s):	Aru, Arub, Aruboom, Aroeboom, Wurmbasvalsdoring, Oumahout, Oumaboom, Kersieblomboom, Bonthout, Bittervalsdoring
English common name(s):	Worm-bark false thorn, Worm-cure albizia, Bitter false-thorn
Synonym(s):	Acacia inermis Marloth Acacia marlothii Engl. Albizia anthelmintica Brongn. var. australis Baker f. Albizia anthelmintica Brongn. var. pubescens Burtt Davy Albizia conjugato-pinnata Vatke fide Fl. Trop. E. Africa Albizia umbalusiana Sim Besenna anthelmintica A.Rich.
Status:	Native
Description:	Deciduous shrub or small, multi-stemmed tree. Branchlets often spine-tipped. Leaves with 2-4 pairs of pinnae; rhachis ending in a hook-like extension; leaflets in 2-4 pairs per pinna, obovate to almost circular; petiole with a gland about midway. Flowers in fluffy, semi-spherical heads, creamy-white, appearing before the leaves. Pods flattened, pale brown. (from Flora of Zimbabwe website) Shrub or tree to 10 m high, crown often somewhat rounded. Bark grey to reddish-brown, smooth; young branchlets shortly pubescent or glabrous, lenticellate, often forming abbreviated divaricate spine-tipped lateral shoots. Leaves glabrous to shortly pubescent: petiole 0.5-2 cm long, a small gland usually present midway along the petiole or just below the junction of the lowest pinna pair; rhachis 0-3.5 cm long, usually terminating in a short rigid persistent defiexed hook, a small gland often present near the junction of the top pinna pair; pinnae 1-3(4) pairs; rhachillae 1.5-5 cm long, usually terminating in a short rigid persistent defiexed hook, often a single stipel similarly bent near the base; leaflets (1)2-4(6) pairs, (5)8-25(30) x 4-18(24) mm (in our area), obliquely obovate or elliptic to sub-rotund, mucronate apically, venose, glabrous or sparingly pubescent beneath, especially on the midrib and lateral nerves. Inflorescences globose; peduncles 1-3 cm long, glabrous or sparingly pubescent. Flowers usually borne on.... (from JSTOR Global Plants website / Flora of Southern Africa) Bush or tree 2-9(12) m high, deciduous; bark smooth, grey to brown; young branchlets glabrous or sometimes shortly pubescent; twigs often with short divaricate almost spinescent-tipped lateral branches. Leaves: rhachides of leaves and pinnae glabrous to shortly pubescent, in all or most leaves projecting at the ends in a short rigid persistent deflexed or downwards-bent hook or claw; often a single stipel similarly bent near the base of the pinnae; pinnae 1-2(4) pairs; leaflets 1-4(5) pairs (7)10-36(42) x (4)6-31 mm, obliquely obovate or elliptic to subcircular, mucronate at the apex, venose, glabrous to sparsely shortly pubescent. Flowers usually on leafless twigs, on pedicels 0.5-5.5 mm long. Calyx pale-greenish, (very rarely 2)3-5 mm long, glabrous to sparsely finely pubescent outside, irregularly denticulate at the apex and usually slit unilaterally to c. 1-2.5 mm. Corolla pale-greenish, 6-12 mm long, glabrous, or puberulous on or near the lobe-margins. Staminal tube not or scarcely exserted beyond the corolla; filaments c. 1.5-2.5 cm long, white. Pod dehiscent, (6)7-18 x 1.5-2.9 cm, oblong, quite glabrous or occasionally puberulous all over, straw-coloured when mature. Seeds 9-13 mm in diam., flattened, round. (from JSTOR Global Plants website / Flora Zambesiaca) Shrub or small tree, deciduous; bark smooth, grey to brown; young branchlets mostly glabrous. Rhachides of leaves and pinnae in all or most leaves projecting at ends as a short rigid deflexed hook or claw; pinnae 1–2(–4) pairs; leaflets 1–4(–5) pairs, obliquely obovate to suborbicular, (7–)10–36(–42) x (4–)6–31 mm, mucronate at apex, reticulately veined, glabrous to sparsely pubescent with short hairs. Flowers usually on leafless twigs, pale greenish, on pedicels 0.5–5.5 mm long. Calyx 3–5 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, irregularly denticulate. Corolla 6–12 mm long, glabrous or puberulous at lobe-margins. Staminal tube not or scarcely exserted beyond corolla; filaments c. 1.5–2 cm long, white. Pod oblong, 7–18 x 1.5–2.9 cm, glabrous or occasionally puberulous, straw-coloured. Seeds 9–13 mm in diam. (from JSTOR Global Plants website / Flora Somalia) Bush or tree 3–9(–12) m high, deciduous; bark smooth, grey to brown. Young branchlets glabrous or sometimes shortly pubescent; twigs often with short divaricate lateral branches. Leaves: rhachides of leaves and pinnae glabrous to shortly pubescent, in all or most leaves projecting at ends in a short rigid persistent deflexed or downwards-bent hook or claw; often a single stipel similarly bent near base of pinnae; pinnae 1–2(–4) pairs; leaflets 1–4(–5) pairs, obliquely obovate to suborbicular, (7–)10–36 (–42) mm long, (4–)6–31 mm wide, mucronate at apex, venose, glabrous to sparsely shortly pubescent. Flowers usually on leafless twigs, on pedicels 0.5–5.5 mm long. Calyx pale greenish, (very rarely 2–)3–5 mm long, glabrous to sparsely finely pubescent outside, irregularly denticulate at apex and usually slit unilaterally to about 1–2.5 mm. Corolla pale greenish, 6–12 mm long, glabrous, or puberulous on and near lobe-margins. Staminal tube not or scarcely exserted beyond corolla; filaments about 1.5–2 cm long, white. Pod oblong, 7–18 cm long, 1.5–2.9 cm wide, quite glabrous or occasionally puberulous all over, straw-coloured. Seeds 9–13 mm in diameter, flattened, round. (from JSTOR Global Plants website / Flora of Tropical East Africa)
Link(s)	African Plant Database JSTOR Plant Science Kew Herbarium Catalogue BGBM Berlin-Dahlem - Virtual Herbarium Züricher Herbarien iNaturalist (Namibia / Alex Dreyer) iNaturalist (Namibia) iNaturalist (southern Africa) Flora of Zimbabwe Fleurs de notre Terre - Galerie Namibie Tree Atlas of Namibia
Photographer:	AA Dreyer
Date of photograph:	21 Dec 2008
Camera make:	Canon
Camera model:	PowerShot A700
Lens aperture:	f/4.8
Shutter speed:	1/320 s
ISO speed:	-
Content last updated:	18 Apr 2024