Vachellia lahai

(Steud. & Hochst. ex Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr.

FabaceaeBark/SapPotential hazards — see below

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(c) David Bygott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Gum

Gum from the plant is eaten.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. It grows between 1,500-2,700 m above sea level.

Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,

Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A tropical shrub or small tree in the Fabaceae family, growing 3–15 m tall at elevations of 1,500–2,700 m.

How to Grow

Plants can be grown from seed.

Propagation: Seed - unlike most members of this genus, the seed of this species does not require pre-treatment.

Medicinal Uses

The bark is astringent. It is used for the treatment of skin eruptions in children, clearing toxicaemia of pregnancy and bowels. The bark of all Acacia species contains greater or lesser quantities of tannins and are astringent. Astringents are often used medicinally - taken internally, for example. they are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in cases of internal bleeding. Applied externally, often as a wash, they are used to treat wounds and other skin problems, haemorrhoids, perspiring feet, some eye problems, as a mouth wash etc. Many Acacia trees also yield greater or lesser quantities of a gum from the trunk and stems. This is sometimes taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and haemorrhoids.

Other Uses

The bark contains tannins. An aqueous extract is sprinkled on pottery to impart a reddish finish. The red wood is hard and durable. It is used in heavy construction, bridge making and as fence posts. The tree is a significant local source of firewood, and makes an excellent charcoal. A fast-growing tree that fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It is an important erosion control tree in wooded grasslands and savannah.

Names & Synonyms

Acacia lahai Benth.

References (2)