Vilca tree, Cebil tree, Patagonian rosewood tree
Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk can be 90 cm across. It is straight and without branches up to 6 m. It is very thorny. The bark is grey and flaky. The leaves are compound and twice divided. They are 7-20 cm long with a deep channel along the main stalk. They fold up at night. There are up to 25 pairs of pinnae and these are 3.5 cm long. They have 40-60 pairs of narrow leaflets. These are 3 mm long. The flowers are small and in a round head.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry rainforest and along rivers and in savannah areas up to 2,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Argentina, Asia, Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Paraguay, Peru, SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Uruguay.

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Drink, caution

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Pohon cebil, Pohon pilka

Synonyms

Acacia cebil Griseb.; Adenanthera macrocarpa (Benth.) Brennan; Piptadenia macrocarpa Benth.; and others