Common Name: Black thorn
Black thorn is a native of Africa naturalized in many parts of the world. This tree grows to a height of about 3-4 meters, and forms a roundish crown. The tree is armed with paired black colored thrones which are recurved in shape. The leaves are bi-pinnate and leaflets are arranged in an opposite manner. On leaf shaft about 4-5 sets of leaflets are arranged. The leaflets are obovate to oblong in shape and measure around 1.2 cm in length; the tip of the leaf is rounded and base oblique. The inflorescence is in the form of a axillary spike which measurers around 8 cm in length. The flowers are white in color. The fruit is in the form of a pod; mature pods are grey in color. The pods are papery in texture, oblong in shape and measure around 6.5 cm in length. They contain 4-5 seeds. Black thorn is cultivated as a fodder plant and as a live-fence plant. The flowers are a source for ample nectar and hence attract a lot of bees. The wood is used to make charcoal. This tree was located in rural Pollachi (June 2023) in Coimbatore district.
