Senegalia galpinii — a medium houseplant
SPECIMEN · FROM THE LIBRARY
Senegalia galpinii

Senegalia Galpinii

Updated · 7 observations
ON THIS PLANT

Senegalia galpinii is a deciduous tree that belongs to the Fabaceae family. Native to southern Africa, it can be found in countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The tree can grow up to 10 meters tall and features a spreading crown with a diameter of up to 8 meters.

The leaves of Senegalia galpinii are bipinnate, meaning they are divided into smaller leaflets arranged in pairs along the stem. The leaflets themselves are small, oval-shaped, and have pointed tips.

Flowering from July to September, Senegalia galpinii produces small, yellowish-white flowers that grow in clusters at the ends of branches. These flowers, with their sweet fragrance, attract bees for pollination.

The fruit of Senegalia galpinii is a flat pod containing several seeds. These pods ripen from October through December before splitting open to release their seeds.

Senegalia galpinii has several uses, including as firewood due to its dense wood, which burns slowly with little smoke or sparking. It also provides shade for livestock grazing beneath it. Additionally, its bark contains tannins used for tanning leather, and its leaves have medicinal properties traditionally utilized by indigenous people to treat various ailments such as coughs, colds, or fevers.

Overall, Senegalia galpinii is an important plant species due to its ecological significance and cultural importance among indigenous communities, who rely on it for various purposes including medicine-making and fuelwood production.

CHARACTERISTICS

Botanical profile.

Genus
Senegalia
Family
Fabaceae
ALSO KNOWN AS

Other names.

en Monkeythorn
PLATES
Senegalia galpinii leaf
PLATE 01 · leaf
Senegalia galpinii bark
PLATE 02 · bark
Senegalia galpinii habit
PLATE 03 · habit
ALSO IN THE LIBRARY

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