The Probert Encyclopaedia of Nature

ACACIA

Acacia is a genus of plants of the family Leguminosae sub-family Mimoseae consisting of trees or shrubs with compound pinnate leaves. They grow in Africa, Arabia, Australia and the East Indies. The flowers, usually small, are arranged in spikes or globular heads at the axils of the leaves near the extremity of the branches. The corolla is bell or funnel shaped; stamens are numerous; the fruit is a dry unjointed pod. Several of the species yield gum-arabic and other gums; some have astringent barks and pods, used in tanning. Acacia Catechu, an Indian species, yields the valuable astringent called catechu; Acacia dealbata the wattle-tree of Australia, from five to ten metres in height, is the most beautiful and useful of the species found there. Its bark contains a large percentage of tannin, and is hence exported. Some species yield valuable timber; some are cultivated for the beauty of their flowers.
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