દેશી બાવળ - Acacia nilotica

[dhaivat.hathi]

Gujarati Name: દેશી બાવળ

Botanical Name: Acacia nilotica

 

Details: Very Hardy, needs little moisture, grows well in dry area and also on wetlands near rivers, dams, lakes and sea. Evergreen tree. Favourite home of squirrel, weaver bird and many other birds and animals, probably because the thorns protect them from predators. Shrike stores its food on the thorns on Acacia. Leaves are used as food for cattle and goats, home for lacks of insects.. Trees of Acacia situated on banks of waterbodies (also partially submerged under water) are used as nesting sites for waterbirds like cormorants, shags, egrets, herons, spoonbills, ibises, darter, storks etc.

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Have a nice time,
Regards,
Dhaivat..

"Lets Protect What We Enjoy"

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

To add to the information, Salim Ali's greatest contribution to Ghana was his idea of having islands in the water bodies with babool plants on them which made nesting possible for painted storks and egrets. You can otherwise also see plenty of acacia nilotica plants in Ghana which are the nesting and roosting places for birds. Two tees which I have seen laden with weaver bird nests are toddy palm and acacia nilotica.

akbhatt

--
Anand Kumar Bhatt
A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road
Gwalior. 474 005.
Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780.

[J.M. Garg]

Hi, Dhaivat ji & Anand ji.

Good interesting inf.

 

Some uses from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_nilotica

 

Forage and fodder

In part of its range smallstock consume the pods and leaves, but elsewhere it is also very popular with cattle. Pods are used as a supplement to poultry rations in India. Dried pods are particularly sought out by animals on rangelands. In India branches are commonly lopped for fodder. Pods are best fed dry as a supplement, not as a green fodder.

Hedges

A. nilotica makes a good protective hedge because of its thorns.^[4]

Medicine

Bark

According to Hartwell, African Zulu take bark for cough. It acts as an astringent and it is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and leprosy.

Bark and root

Maasai are intoxicated by the bark and root decoction, said to impart courage, even aphrodisia, and the root is said to cure impotence.

Bark or gum

In West Africa, the bark or gum is used to treat cancers and/or tumors (of ear, eye, or testicles) and indurations of liver and spleen, condylomas, and excess flesh.

Sap or bark, leaves, and young pods are strongly astringent due to tannin, and are chewed in Senegal as an antiscorbutic.

Leaves

The bruised leaves are poulticed and used to treat ulcers.

Resin

In Lebanon, the resin is mixed with orange-flower infusion for typhoid convalescence.

Root

The Chipi use the root for tuberculosis. In Tonga, the root is used to treat tuberculosis.

Seed pods

Egyptian Nubians believe that diabetics may eat unlimited carbohydrates as long as they also consume powdered pods.

Wood

In Italian Africa, the wood is used to treat smallpox.

In Ethiopia, certain parts of the tree are used as a lactogogue.

Lumber

The tree's wood is "very durable if water-seasoned" and its uses include tool handles and lumber for boats.^[4] The wood has a density of about 1170 kg/m³.^[5]

2009/1/28 Anand Kumar Bhatt <anand...@gmail.com>

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