Acacia farnesiana

Taxobox
name = Needle Bush


regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Fabales
familia = Fabaceae
genus = "Acacia"
species = "A. farnesiana"
binomial = "Acacia farnesiana"
binomial_authority = (L.) Willd.
status = G5
status_system = TNC
range_

---

synonyms =
*"Acacia acicularis" Willd.
*"Acacia farnesiana" (L.) Willd. var. "lenticellata" (F.Muell.)Bailey
*"Acacia indica" (Poir.) Desv.
*"Acacia lenticellata" F. Muell.
*"Acacia minuta" (M.E. Jones) R.M. Beauch.
*"Acacia minuta" (M.E. Jones) R.M. Beauch. subsp. "minuta" (M.E.Jones)R.M.Beauch.
*"Farnesia odora" Gasp.
*"Farnesiana odora" Gasp.
*"Mimosa acicularis" Poir.
*"Mimosa farnesiana" L.
*"Mimosa indica" Poir.
*"Mimosa suaveolens" Salisb.
*"Pithecellobium acuminatum" M.E. Jones
*"Pithecellobium minutum" M.E. Jones
*"Popanax farnesiana" (L.) Raf.
*"Poponax farnesiana" (L.) Raf.
*"Vachellia farnesiana" Wight & Arn." [ [http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?sciname=Acacia+farnesiana ILDIS] ]

"Acacia farnesiana", commonly known as Needle Bush, is so named because of the numerous thorns distributed along its branches. The native range of "A. farnesiana" is uncertain. While the point of origin is Mexico and Central America the species has a pantropical distribution incorporating Northern Australia and Southern Asia. It remains unclear whether the extra-American distribution is primarily natural or anthropogenic. [Clarke, H.D., Seigler, D.S., Ebinger, J.E. 1989; 'Acacia farnesiana (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) and Related Species from Mexico, the Southwestern U.S., and the Caribbean' Systematic Botany 14 549-564] It is deciduous over part of its range, [ [http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1359/az13592b.pdf PDF] Ursula K. Schuch and Margaret Norem, Growth of Legume Tree SpeciesGrowing in the Southwestern United States, University of Arizona.] but evergreen in most locales. [ [http://pick5.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Acacia+farnesiana&guide=North_American_Invasives Discover Life - Fabaceae: Acacia farnesiana (L. ) Willd. - Cassie Flower, Vachellia farnesiana, Poponax farnesiana, Mimosa farnesiana, Ellington Curse, Klu, Sweet Acacia, Mimosa Bush, Huisache ] ] The species grows to a height of up to 8m tall [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Acacia_farnesiana.html Purdue University] ] and has a life span of about 25-50 years. [http://www.worldwidewattle.com/infogallery/utilisation/acaciasearch/pdf/salicina.pdf Acacia Search] ]

The plant has been recently spread to many new locations as a result of human activity and it is considered a serious weed in Fiji, where locals call it Ellington's Curse. It thrives in dry, saline or sodic soils. It is also a serious pest plant in parts of Australia, including north-west New South Wales, where it now infests thousands of acres of grazing country. [cite web
url=http://www.northwestweeds.nsw.gov.au/mimosa_bush.htm
title=Mimosa bush - briar bush
publisher=www.northwestweeds.nsw.gov.au
accessdate=2008-04-09
last=
first=]

The taxon name "farnesiana" comes from the Farnese Gardens in Rome. It was brought there from the Caribbean and Central America. [ [http://www.swsbm.com/AJP/AJP_1885_No_3.pdf HENRY TRIMBLE AND F. D. MACFARLAND., AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, Volume 57, #3, March, 1885] ]

A little of the Uses

Bark

The bark is used for its tannin content..]

Food

"Roasted pods used in sweet and sour dishes." [ [http://www.one-garden.org/DeepDiversity.pdf www.one-garden.org] ]

Flowers

The flowers are processed through distillation to produce a perfume called Cassie. It is widely used in the perfume industry in Europe. Scented ointments from Cassie are made in India..]

Foliage

The foliage is a significant source of forage in much of its range, with a protein content of around 18%.

Seed pods

The concentration of tannin in the seed pods is about 23%.

Seeds

The seeds of "A. farnesiana" are completely non-toxic to humans [ [http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/monitoringandsurveillance/nuttab2006/onlineversion.cfm?&action=getFood&foodID=15A10010 Food Standards Australia] ] and are a valuable food source for people throughout the plant's range. The mature seeds are put through a press to make oil for cooking. [http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=con009277&RevisionSelectionMethod=Latest www.mhra.gov.uk] ] Nonetheless an anecdotal report has been made that in Brazil some people use the seeds of "A. farnesiana" to eliminate rabid dogs..] This is attributed to an unnamed toxic alkaloid.

Forage

The tree makes good forage for bees. [http://www.bottlebrushpress.com/acacia.html Bottlebrush Press] ]

Dyes and Inks

A black pigment is extracted from the bark and fruit..]

Perfume

"Acaci farnesiana" flowers are distilled in the south of France to make an essential oil called Cassie which is used as a basis for aromatherapy and perfume. [ [http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/a/aroma.pdf ACACIA FARNESIANA (Linn) Willd.] ]

Traditional medicine

The bark and the flowers are the parts of the tree most used in traditional medicine..] "A. farnesiana" has been used in Colombia to treat malaria, and recently it has been been confirmed in the laboratory that extract from the tree barkcite book
last = Khare
first = C. P.
authorlink =
title = Indian Herbal Remediess: rational Western therapy, ayurvedic, and other traditional usage, botany
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=463ERB3VeUoC&pg=PA11&dq=acacia+alkaloids&sig=2wKekQoI5HUGeAioywMjns4oiaE
year = 2004
doi =
pages = 11
isbn = 3540010262 ] and leaves [ [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4JR419J-6&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F11%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3a9d6233c2f377f9b87071d183b38c4a G. Garavitoa, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author, J. Rincóna, L. Arteagaa, Y. Hataa, G. Bourdyb, A. Gimenezc, R. Pinzóna and E. Deharo, Ethnopharmacological communication Antimalarial activity of some Colombian medicinal plants Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 107, Issue 3, 11 October 2006, Pages 460-462] ] is effective against the malarial pathogen "Plasmodium falciparum". [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4JR419J-6&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F11%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3a9d6233c2f377f9b87071d183b38c4a Abstract] of G. Garavitoa, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author, J. Rincóna, L. Arteagaa, Y. Hataa, G. Bourdyb, A. Gimenezc, R. Pinzóna and E. Deharo, Ethnopharmacological communication, Antimalarial activity of some Colombian medicinal plants Journal of EthnopharmacologyVolume 107, Issue 3, 11 October 2006, Pages 460-462.] Indiginous Australians have used the roots and bark of the tree to treat diarrhea and diseases of the skin..] The tree's leaves can also be rubbed on the skin to treat skin diseases. [ [http://www.stuartxchange.org/HerbsAnimalsSkin.html Philippine Herbs Used in Small Animal Practice] ]

One or more alkaloids present in "Acacia farnesiana": "phenethylamine; N-methly-.beta.-phenethylamine; tyramine; hordenine; [http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=25125 N,N-dimethyl-phenethylamine] ; and [http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=65295 N,N-dimethyl-.alpha.-methylphenethylamine] " in the "leaves, bark, and roots." [ [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20060204599.html Dietary supplement and method of using same. United States Patent 20060204599] ]

The following compounds are said to be in "Acacia farnesiana":

*5-MeO-DMT [ [http://leda.lycaeum.org/?ID=15965 Lycaeum] ]

*Tryptamine [ [http://www.unh.edu/herbarium/Poisonous/plantdict.html Selected Plants of Medicinal Value in Costa Rica] ]

*β-methyl-phenethylamine, flower. [http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/plants.html Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases] ] Ether extracts about 2-6% of the dried leaf mass. [ [http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/AFT/03-024.pdf Wattle Seed Workshop Proceedings 12 March 2002, Canberra March 2003 RIRDC Publication No 03/024, RIRDC Project No WS012-06] ] Alkaloids are present in the bark. [ [http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/a/aroma.pdf www.bpi.da.gov.ph] ]

Common names

Farnese Wattle, Dead Finish, Mimosa Wattle, Mimosa bush, Prickly Mimosa Bush, Prickly Moses, Needle Bush, North-west Curara, Sheep's Briar, Sponge Wattle, Sweet Acacia, Thorny Acacia, Thorny Feather Wattle, Wild Briar, Huisache, Cassie, Cascalotte, Cassic, Mealy Wattle, Popinac, Sweet Briar, Texas Huisache, Aroma, (Bahamas) Cashia, (Bahamas, USA) Opoponax, Cashaw, (Belize) Cuntich, (Jamaica) Cassie-flower, Cassie, Iron Wood, Cassie Flower, Honey-ball, Casha Tree, Casha, (Virgin Islands) Cassia, (Fiji) Ellington's Curse.

Botanical varieties

*"Acacia farnesiana" (L.) Willd. var. "farnesiana"
*"Acacia farnesiana" (L.) Willd. var. "guanacastensis" H.D.Clarke et al.

References

Notes

General references

*List of Acacia species

External links

* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ Dr. Duke's Database]