Senegalia brevispica
Senegalia brevispica is a prickly African shrub or small tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Its native range extends from Nigeria eastwards to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. It was previously known as Acacia brevispica.[1]
Appearance
The East African flora describes plants 1–7 metres high, often scrambling through other vegetation and producing multiple shoots. Young twigs have hairs and tiny reddish glands. Scattered prickles curve backwards or spread out from the stems. The leaves divide into six to eighteen pairs of primary divisions, each carrying many narrow leaflets.[2]
White or yellowish flower heads form branching clusters. The oblong pods are 6–15 cm long, with small reddish glands, and contain flattened brown seeds.[2]
Habitat
The plant occurs in bushland, scrub and thickets. East African records cited by the flora span elevations of about 170–1,830 metres; these are regional records, not a worldwide elevation limit.[2]
Classification
Plants of the World Online recognises two subspecies, brevispica and dregeana. Seigler and Ebinger published the combination in Senegalia in 2010.[1]
Conservation records
South Africa's national Red List separately assesses the southern subspecies dregeana. Its entry records it in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal and gives an automated Least Concern assessment dated 30 June 2005. The screening exercise did not select it for detailed assessment. This is a national record for a subspecies, rather than a recent global assessment of all Senegalia brevispica populations.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Senegalia brevispica”: taxonomy and distribution. Plants of the World Online. Accessed 9 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Senegalia brevispica”. Plants of the World Online; botanical descriptions from Gillett, J. B.; Polhill, R. M.; Verdcourt, B. (1971), Flora of Tropical East Africa, and Thulin and colleagues, Flora of Somalia. Accessed 9 October 2026.
- ↑ Foden, W.; Potter, L. (2005). “Senegalia brevispica subsp. dregeana”. National Assessment, Red List of South African Plants, SANBI. Accessed 9 October 2026.