Fabaceae

Vachellia karroo

Common Names: Karroo thorn Synonyms: Acacia karroo

Plant Form: Shrub to small or medium tree. Size: Up to 12 m tall. Stem: Dark reddish-brown to blackish, rough. With straight white, dark-tipped, paired thorns up to 25 cm long. Leaves: Up to 12 cm long, in 8-20 opposite pairs of small oblong leaflets. Flowers: Yellow, globular, typical acacia wattle-like flowers. With sweet scent. Fruit and Seeds: Woody, sickle-shaped pods up to 16 cm long, with slight constrictions between the seeds. Habitat: Dry scrub, open woodland, grasslands, dry watercourses, dunes. Distinguishing Features: Fruit helps distinguish from Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica). Impacts: Ability to form dense thickets, and big thorns exclude or injure grazing animals. Alters native ecosystems.