Fabaceae FAMILY

Senegalia catechu

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

The bark contains an alkaloid and is said to be toxic[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. Both fruit and stem are used in Myanmar to poison fish[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. Especially in times of drought, many Acacia species can concentrate high levels of the toxin Hydrogen cyanide in their foliage, making them dangerous for herbivores to eat.

Botanical Description

Senegalia catechu is a spiny, deciduous tree with slender branches; it can grow 10 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 50cm in diameter[ 320 Title Trees Commonly Cultivated in SE Asia Publication Author Jensen. M. Publisher FAO Regional Office, Bangkok. Year 1999 ISBN 974-89377-5-5 Description ]. The tree is a source of tannins, known as 'catechu' or 'cutch', which has a wide range of uses including in medicine, as a dye and preservative, and as an ingredient of 'paan', a widely used mildly narcotic masticatory. The tree also provides a useful timber. It is extensively harvested from the wild, and also cultivated in Asia, and is an item of international trade[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. , 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. , 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeE. Asia - southwest China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand.

HabitatOpen, drier areas mostly on well drained soil types, but also on shallow, poor, rocky soils[ 320 Title Trees Commonly Cultivated in SE Asia Publication Author Jensen. M. Publisher FAO Regional Office, Bangkok. Year 1999 ISBN 974-89377-5-5 Description ]. Mixed deciduous forests and savannah of lower mountains and hills. Especially common in the drier regions on sandy soils of riverbanks and watersheds[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ].