Local name(s)
Derdere
(Somali)
General description
A
spiny shrubby small acacia, with a typical mushroom-like shape. No stem as such.
The branches spread out from the bottom. The crown is round and very near to the
ground. The bark is dark-brown reddish with little white spots. Branches are
armed at each node with two straight white thorns. Young branches are hairy and
of light brown colour. Flowers are in white heads and grown on the nod
in-between the two thorns. The fruit is a red-brown hairy pod, often curled into
a ring or crescent shape. The seeds are ??.
Edible part(s),
preparation methods and palatability
New
white flowers of the tree are consumed freshly from the tree in times of food
shortage. It seems that the species is able to flower after very light rain
showers. Nevertheless, in July, in the midst of the 'hagaa' dry season in
Somali Region, these acacia species were flowering while at the same time
seedpods were observed on the same species. They taste slightly bitter.
Pastoralists say that the flowers are also used to cure a certain mouth disease
(not known which one).
Nutritional
value
Commercial
use
Agroecology
Propagation
method(s) & management
Sample location
(s)
