Vachellia flava

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Mimosa flava
• Acacia ehrenbergiana
• Acacia ehrenbergii
• Acacia flava f. ehrenbergiana

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales, falling within the family Fabaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Vachellia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern concentrated within the North African region. It can be found growing naturally across the vast landscapes of Algeria and Egypt. Additionally, its presence extends through the territories of Libya and Morocco. The species also inhabits the arid environments of Western Sahara. Collectively, these locations define the primary geographical range of Vachellia flava.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vachellia flava is primarily defined by its adaptation to a dry habitat, where it thrives in environments characterized by limited moisture availability. This species is specialized to endure arid or semi-arid conditions, often occupying landscapes where water scarcity dictates the vegetative structure and survival strategies of the local flora. By colonizing these xeric niches, the plant plays a functional role in nutrient cycling and soil stabilization within moisture-stressed ecosystems. Its physiological and morphological traits are finely tuned to mitigate the stresses of high evaporation rates and irregular precipitation patterns typical of such dry habitats.

Habitat :

dry habitat

Life history

The life history of Vachellia flava is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons within its habitat. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on aerial shoots, a structural adaptation that influences its growth habit and survival strategy. This phanerophyte classification is consistent across its developmental stages, ensuring that the plant maintains a robust architectural form capable of enduring environmental fluctuations over its extended lifespan.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vachellia flava is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, maintaining a self-supporting structure without the need for climbing. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic tendencies and functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 5 meters, with recorded maximum heights extending to about 4.57 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4.572055596 m

Plant height mean:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vachellia flava is characterized by a specialized metabolic framework that supports its growth in specific environmental niches. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism involving the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle, which is typical for many woody species in its taxonomic group. Furthermore, this species possesses the physiological capacity to act as a nitrogen fixer, a vital trait that allows it to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, thereby enhancing its nutrient acquisition and supporting its development in nitrogen-limited soils.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vachellia flava is characterized by a specific phenological cycle and distinct morphological traits. The flowering period typically commences in April and concludes in May, though the timing can be variable throughout the year. Following pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of a pod. These fruits are dehiscence-type, meaning they split open at maturity to release the seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.020905 g. The variation in seed size is relatively narrow, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.01724 g to a maximum of 0.02478 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

May

Fruit type :

pod

Seed mass max:

0.02478 g

Seed mass mean:

0.020905 g

Seed mass min:

0.01724 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Vachellia flava has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include -Spinasterol, Anthraquinones, Flavonoids, Glycosides, STIGMASTEROL.

-Spinasterol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthraquinones

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Glycosides

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

STIGMASTEROL

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Saponins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Terpenoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Theogallin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

phenol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Vachellia flava has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant.

Antibacterial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Vachellia flava has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone and ethanol extracts, acetone extract, alcoholic and aqueous extracts, butanol extract.

Acetone and ethanol extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Acetone extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Alcoholic and aqueous extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Butanol extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)