FLORA OF ADEN. 
189 
Flowers yellow or white, in globose heads or cylindrical spikes ; 
numerous scaly bracteoles between the flowers ; peduncles axillary, 
solitary or fascicled or panicled at the end of the branches. Calyx and 
corolla A — 5-merous. Calyx campanulate or funnel-shaped, dentate or 
lobed. Petals free or more or less united, valvate. Stamens indefinite, 
exserted, free or consolidated at the base with the disk. Ovary sessile or 
stalked ; ovules many ; style filiform ; stigma small, terminal. 
Legume usually linear or oblong, flat, convex or terete, straight, 
falcate or twisted, membranous, coriaceous or woody, dehiscent or in- 
dehiscent. 
Species about 450. 
Distribution : — The leaf-bearing groups throughout the tropical and 
subtropical regions ; the phyllodineous ones almost restricted to 
Australia. — 
A. — Flowers spicate — 
I. Leaflets l-jugate 
II. Leaflets 2—10- jugate— 
Spines 3 together 
Spines not 3 together 
B. — Flowers capitate — 
I. Bract almost at the base of peduncle 
II. Bract near the apex of peduncle 
III. Bract between apex and base of peduncle. 
1. Pod not or scarcely curved — 
A. Pod not constricted — 
* Pod pilose 
* * Pod not pilose 
B. Pod constricted . . 
2. Pod spirally contorted 
6. A. mellifera. 
3. A. hamulosa. 
7. A. lasta. 
2. A. Edgeworthii. 
9. A. Farnesiana. 
5. A. nubica. 
1. A. eburnea. 
8. A. arabica. 
4. A. spirocarpa. 
Uses : — What is true of the Indian species of Acacia with regard to 
their economic value, may, on the whole, be applied to the species de- 
scribed below. 
The bushy and arborescent forms, as a rule, afford astringent barks, 
leaves, or pods, and are appreciated as medicines, as tans or as dye 
auxiliaries. Some of them afford useful gums that are more or less 
soluble and edible. The trees are of great value both as sources of 
timber and fuel. The leaves beaten from the twigs afford a much-valued 
fodder to the cattle. For detailed information on the different species 
we refer to Watt's publications and Wiesner, Die Rohstoffe des 
Pflanzenreiches. 
1. Acacia eburnea (L.) Willd. Sp. PL IV, 1081 ; DC. Prodr. II, 
461 ; Benth. Lond. Journ. Bot. I, 501 et Trans. Linn. Soc. XXX, 511 ; 
Boiss. FI. Or. II, 637 ; Anders. Journ. Linn. Soc. V, Suppl. p. 19. 
Mimosa eburnea L. Mant. p. 437. 
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