false acacia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• black locust
• false acacia
• yellow locust
• False-acacia
• Locust
• green locust
• purple robe locust
• white locust
• locust tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Robinia pseudoacacia var. inermis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. crispa
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. ulriciana
• Pseudo-acacia vulgaris
• Robinia fragilis
• Robinia linearis
• Robinia ludoviciana
• Robinia camusetii
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. aurea
• Robinia pendula
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. aurea
• Pseudacacia odorata
• Robinia stricta
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. purpurea
• Robinia tortuosa
• Pseudacacia vulgaris
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. atropurpurea
• Robinia umbraculifera
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. rectissima
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. coluteoides
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. frisia
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. coluteoides
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. oswaldiae
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. crispa
• Robinia pyramidalis
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. sophorifolia
• Robinia undulata
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. monophylla
• Robinia uterhartii
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. amorphifolia
• Derris robusta var. assamica
• Robinia spectabilis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. amorphifolia
• Robinia monophyllus
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. microphylla
• Robinia pseudoacacia monophylla-pendula
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. microphylla
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. pendula
• Robinia bessoniana
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. myrtifolia
• Robinia angulata
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. pendulifolia
• Robinia bullata
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. myrtifolia
• Robinia patula
• Robinia aurea
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. monophylla-pendula
• Robinia acacia
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. linearis
• Robinia amorphifolia
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. monophylla-pendula
• Robinia edwardsiifolia
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. linearis
• Robinia fastigiata
• Robinia coluteoides
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. dissecta
• Robinia cornigera
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. tortuosa
• Robinia echinata
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. dissecta
• Robinia cylindrica
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. pyramidalis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. unifoliata
• Robinia crispa
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. umbraculifera
• Robinia decaisneana
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. unifoliata
• Robinia dissecta
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. vulgaris
• Robinia inermis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. erecta
• Robinia latisiliqua
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. angustifolia
• Robinia jaspidea
• Robinia pseudoacacia monophylla-fastigiata
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. inermis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. umbraculifera
• Robinia inermis var. rehderi
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. rehderi
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. bessoniana
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. bessoniana
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. tortuosa
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. rozynskiana
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. rozynskiana
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. ulriciana
• Robinia pseudoacacia pyramidalis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. pyramidalis
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. stricta
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. stricta
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. semperflorens
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. semperflorens
• Robinia pseudoacacia f. decaisneana
• Robinia pseudoacacia var. decaisneana
• Robinia inermis fastigiata-aureovariegata
• Robinia pseudoacacia subsp. crispa
• Robinia pseudoacacia subsp. inermis
• Robinia pseudoacacia subsp. tortuosa
• Robinia pseudoacacia subsp. umbraculifera
• Robinia pringlei

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and the genus Robinia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species can also be found growing in Austria and Belgium. Furthermore, its range extends into the central regions of Czechia and Slovakia. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to adapt to different European environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Robinia pseudoacacia is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, ranging from sea level to a maximum elevation of 2300 m AMSL. It primarily thrives in lowland habitats, where it can establish itself in various soil types and successional stages. In terms of biological survival strategies, the plant possesses specific defense mechanisms, indicated by the presence of defensive traits that help it navigate herbivory and environmental stressors within its ecological niche.

Defense :

yes

Elevational range max:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Robinia pseudoacacia is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures above the ground, typically forming a tree-like stature that can withstand various environmental conditions. Its seasonal cycle is defined by a deciduous nature, meaning it undergoes a period of dormancy where it sheds its leaves annually in response to seasonal changes. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and a deciduous growth habit dictates its rhythmic pattern of growth, flowering, and seasonal senescence.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Robinia pseudoacacia is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting, independent organism. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit epiphytic or parasitic tendencies, maintaining an independent life cycle. The plant displays significant variability in its stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of 1.5 m to a maximum of 35 m, though it typically reaches a mean height of approximately 19.319 m. Due to its robust, woody structure, it is categorized as a self-supporting growth form rather than a climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

35 m

Plant height mean:

19.319 m

Plant height min:

1.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Robinia pseudoacacia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a highly efficient symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, identified as a nitrogen fixer. Its vegetative structures consist of elliptic leaves with entire margins, which lack both thorns and spines, classifying the plant as non-carnivorous. The leaf morphology exhibits significant variability, with a minimum width of 0.2 cm and a maximum width of 3 cm, and a length ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 15 cm, resulting in a mean leaf size of 9.621 cm². The leaf tissue is characterized by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 179 cm²/g, reflecting its resource allocation strategy. Furthermore, the structural integrity of the plant is supported by a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 767.1665 mg/cm³, contributing to its overall physiological robustness.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf size mean:

9.621 cm²

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

179 cm²/g

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

767.1665 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Robinia pseudoacacia is characterized by a sexual process through bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period typically begins in May and concludes in June, featuring white flowers arranged in a raceme inflorescence that can reach a maximum length of 0.2 meters. The pollination syndrome is biotic, specifically relying on insects and bees to facilitate the process, while self-fertilization is absent. Following pollination, the plant develops dry, dehiscence-type fruit in the form of a pod. These pods vary in size, with a mean length of 5.8 cm (ranging from 3.5 to 10 cm) and a width ranging from 1 to 2 cm. The fruit is highly prolific, containing more than 1000 seeds per fruit. The individual seeds have a mean mass of approximately 0.01965 g (ranging from 0.01584 to 0.02645 g) and a consistent mean volume of 20 mm³. Dispersal is achieved through an autochorous syndrome, where the seeds are released via the dehiscence of the dry pods.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

10 cm

Fruit length mean:

5.8 cm

Fruit length min:

3.5 cm

Fruit type :

pod

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Fruit width min:

1 cm

Inflorescence :

raceme

Inflorescence length max:

0.2 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.02645 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0196543788333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.01584 g

Seed volume max:

20 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Robinia pseudoacacia has 64 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acacetin, -carotene, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 5,7-Dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone, Acaciin.

acacetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

-carotene

1. Dr. Duke

2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid

1. Dr. Duke

5,7-Dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone

1. Dr. Duke

Acaciin

1. Dr. Duke

Anthranilic acid methyl ester

1. Dr. Duke

Arachidic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Behenic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Robinia pseudoacacia has 253 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, Acetylcholinergic.

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Adaptogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke