Marabou Thorn, Sickle bush
Dichrostachys cinerea

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small acacia like tree. It grows 5-6 m high in dry areas and 12 m high in wetter places. The stems are often twisted and twined together. The side branches form spines. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are compound. There are 4-13 pairs of stalks each with 27 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are narrow and 10 mm long by 3 mm wide. They are dark green and glossy above but dull underneath. The flowers are in spikes in the axils of leaves. Half the flower spike is sterile flowers and the other half are fertile. The flower spikes hangs downwards. The fruit is a cluster of pods. Each one is 10 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are twisted.

There are about 15-20 Dichrostachys species. The leaves are used in medicine. Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is more common at low altitudes. In East Africa it grows between sea level and 1,700 m altitude. It grows on a range of soils in wooded grassland. It grows in the Sahel. It needs an annual rainfall between 200-400 mm. It can form thickets on poor soils. It will grow in most well-drained soils. It needs an open sunny position. It is damaged by frost but can tolerate some drought. It can grow in salty soils. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa (country/location of origin), East Timor, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa (country/location of origin), Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit and seeds are eaten. The seeds are used in soups. The gum is eaten as a snack.

Edible parts

Seeds, pods, fruit, gum, spice

How it is grown

They can be grown from seed. The seed needs treatment before sowing. Hot water is poured over the seeds and left to soak for 24 hours before planting. Seeds germinate readily. Plants can be grown from root cuttings.

It grows slowly. In Central African Republic plants have been recorded flowering in June and July.

Its other names

Local names

Ader, Andera, Arzik, Bilatri, Bortuli, Chimphongala, Chipangala, Dhiigtaar, Evagia, Ithalala, Kansalonsalo, Katenge, Khairi, Kolai, Kudhu beli, Kunlai, Mkingiri, Moselesele, Muvilisya, Muwanika, N'talala, Odatare, Omutjete, Segum-kati, Sekelbos, Sitbyu, Tabe, Veltura, Vidattalai, Vurtuli

Synonyms

Dichrostachys nutans (Pers.) Benth.; Dichrostachys glomerata (Forsk.) Chiov.; Dichrostachys nyassana Taub.; Dichrostachys platycarpa Welw.; Mimosa cinerea Linn.; Mimosa glomerata Forsk; Mimosa nutans Pers.; Cailliea dichrostachys Guill. et Perrott.; Calliea glomerata (Forssk.) J. F. Macbr. See Cailliea