About Senegalia ataxacantha (DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr.
Senegalia ataxacantha (DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr. typically grows as a multi-stemmed, untidy large shrub, whose shoots scramble using recurved prickles. It often develops into a single-stemmed tree reaching 5 to 10 meters in height, with a trunk up to 300 millimeters in diameter. It has a rounded crown of dense, dark green foliage made up of very small pinnules. Its translucent red pods create a colorful display when backlit. The light grey bark flakes, splitting both longitudinally and transversely, and exposes a buff-colored underlayer. Persistent prickles grow profusely on young twigs, and may also be present on older wood. Unlike other species formerly placed in the genus Acacia, its prickles are not paired, but scattered along young twigs; the specific epithet 'ataxacantha' means 'orderless prickles'. Its fragrant flowers grow in clusters of off-white or cream-colored terminal spikes, and bloom during spring and summer. This species' timber resembles that of Acacia melanoxylon, and often develops heart rot. When sound, however, it is good quality timber that is handsomely streaked in black, dark brown, purple and cream, with markedly contrasting off-white sapwood. Senegalia ataxacantha can be confused with Senegalia afra; S. afra differs by having paired prickles, stouter pods, and greyish-green distinctly pendent foliage. This species is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and also occurring in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Transvaal, and KwaZulu-Natal. In arid regions, it prefers low-lying sites near streams, watercourses, and valleys. In higher rainfall areas, it is a common component of bush vegetation, and often favors forest margins. Once established, young trees of this species are quite frost-hardy. Traditionally, the root bark of Senegalia ataxacantha is used as an aphrodisiac.
