Senegalia torta

Senegalia torta (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger, Blumea 58: 42 (2013) (syn: Mimosa torta Roxb.,; Acacia torta (Roxb.) Craib) as per Synoptic overview of Acacia sensu lato (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in East and Southeast Asia- B.R. Maslin- Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 67(1): 231–250. 2015;
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Acacia torta (Roxb.) Craib, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1915:410. 1915 (Syn: Acacia pennata “sensu Baker, p.p. non Willd.”; Mimosa torta Roxb.; Acacia caesia auct. non. Willd. (as per book under reference));
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a-KAY-see-uh or uh-KAY-shuh — from the Greek akis, meaning point, barb, thorny, spiny
TOR-tuh — twisted
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commonly known as: twisted acacia • Hindi: अलिया alia • Marathi: चिल्लारी chillari
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Native to: India, Pakistan, Thailand
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*GRAM Looking to ID this Acacia : 6 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (15)
Found this Tree at Kasara, Maharashtra in July 2016

Thanks, …, for such detailed pictures.
Pl. check comparative images of different species in efi at Acacia


Excellent photography.


The habit is tree; prickles scattered on branchlets, inflorescences terminal panicles of heads and midvein of leaflets starting centrally at base – when these characters are combined, they lead on to Senegalia caesia (previously Acacia caesia).


Thank you … … thank you for pointing out characters before telling us the species.
I am trying to understand if there is variability of characters within this species. Going by JCB Herbarium, the key mentions the presence of glands on the rachis, at the base of all pairs of pinnae. I checked a few of the leaves to confirm where the glands were present and they were all consistent with one at the base and either 2 – 3 at the top most pinnae.
Also, the presence and absence of spines is the pedicel – is that also a variable character?


Your observations were correct.

I worked on Indian Acacias long back and published an account of the same in 1996.  As regards Acacia caesia, it is indeed a variable species and I merged A. torta with it, having found ample intergradations. I had examined relevant specimens in all the major Indian herbaria. It is interesting to note that while majority of the collectors mentioned it to be scandent shrubs or climbers, many others found it to be trees, 3 – 10 m high.
In recent past the indigenous Indian species of Acacia were transferred mainly to Senegalia and Vachellia. I noticed some discrepancies in these publications but I have not published any rejoinder on them except for one short note on Vachellia eburnea as this is not my priority area at present. I am not at all fully satisfied with these publications.
I came to know that a Ph. D. student at Goa University is now working on Indian Acacias and he has found some ways for differentiating A. caesia from A. torta. There is, however, no publication seen by me from that end.
I can raise several questions which are to be answered by the future workers on Indian Acacias.


Senegalia torta as per … at GRAM Looking to ID this Acacia 



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Fabaceae-Mimosoideae (Mimosaceae) Week :: Acacia torta at Harishchandragad:
Came across this climbing Shrub at “Harishchandragad, Maharashtra“. (30-11-2009).
Bot. name: Acacia torta
Family: Mimosaceae
Habitat: Wild
Flowers white in globose head, Leaves 2 – pinnate, pinnae 5 to 10 pairs, leaflets 10 to 25 pairs.


Nice photographs !!! Please check these 2 links for my photographs of this:

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a-KAY-see-uh or uh-KAY-shuh — from the Greek akis, meaning point, barb, thorny, spiny
TOR-tuh — twisted

Mar 5, 2011 … somewhere along Kumbharli Ghat, Maharashtra
commonly known as: twisted acacia • Hindi: अलिया alia • Marathi: चिल्लारी chillari
Native to: India, Pakistan, Thailand
References: Flowers of IndiaeFloraNPGS / GRIN
more views: Feb 19, 2011 … at Matheran, Maharashtra


This fruit is of Shikakai (A. sinuata ) and not of A. torta (Chillari or Chillar), A. torta pods are flat..


Looking at the flowers I have a feeling that all your photographs except first one belong to A. torta
The first photograph clearly looks like belonging to A. concinna (Willd.) DC. (syn: A. sinuata (Lour.) Merrill.
Could you kindly confirm whether all these photographs belong to the same individual, or taken fro different individuals at different times. The numbering seems to support these being taken at different times.

Yes … Only the first one does not belong to A. torta (earnest thanks to … for pointing my mistaken ID) … sighted on Mar 5, 2011 … somewhere along Kumbharli Ghat.
All the rest are sighted on Feb 19, 2011 … at Matheran, Maharashtra, and for sure A. torta
Did not dare to elaborate it to avoid adding to confusion.

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Main Difference between :  3 posts by 3 authors.
Tell me the difference between the Acacia Pennata and Acacia Torta 

^  Thorns straight; rachis glandular between 4 uppermost pinnae…….A. torta
^  Thorns recurved; rachis glandular between 2 uppermost pinnae…..A. pennata
A. torta
Leaf-pinnae c 13 pairs, c 4 cm long; leaflets 35-40 pairs, c 5 × 2 mm; rachis puberulous. Heads c 1.3 cm across, paniculate. Flowers white. Pods oblong, falcate, compressed, up to 12 × 2 cm. Seeds c 8.
A. pennata
Stems dull white. Leaf-pinnae 10-15 pairs, 3-5 cm long; leaflets 40-60 pairs, elliptic-oblong, c 4 × 1 mm, base truncate, apex acute. Heads 1-3 per cluster, in terminal racemes, c 1.5 cm across. Flowers c 3 mm across, greenish white. Pods broadly oblong, flat, up to 15 × 3 cm, stipitate, horned. Seeds 6-10.

Thanks, … But the following did not give any differences based on the thorns.
Flora of Pakistan
Pl. clarify.

The best way to distinguish Senegalia caesia (including S. torta) from S. pennata is that, in S. caesia and S. torta the main vein of leaflets are starting centrally or subcentrally from the base whereas in S.pennata they are starting marginally from the base. 



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at Shahapur; in Mahabaleshwar esp on the edge of the valley- Nov 2009; at Harishchandragad, Maharashtra- (30-11-2009); at Shahapur- Sept’10?;

Acacia sp??051209PKA2 – efloraofindia | Google Groups
PLANT FOR ID 162 SMP NOV 2009 – indiantreepix | Google Groups


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ID confirmation acacia pennata?: 5 images.
Please help me in identifying this climber tree, is this Acacia pennata?
Found near Mhatoba tekadi slopes. Pune.


May be Senegalia torta as per the following keys:

As per efi thread:
Leaflets 18-35 pairs………………..A. torta
Leaflets 35-60 pairs………………..A. pennata


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229 ID wild plant Senegalia: 21 images.

Please ID wild plant. We use it’s dry crushed bark as hair shampoo. 
Location: near Reserve Forest, Chathamattom, Ernakulam District, (Kochi) Kerala PIN:686671
Altitude: 1400fsl
Flower date: 05.10.2021, 05.10pm
Habitat: wild moisture
Plant habit: climbing, branches, woody stem 10 inch base diameter, rigid thorned silver coloured old and medium old stem, long lasting
Height: 12 meters
Leaves: alternate, bipinnate, leaflets even opposite, ovate, oblong, apex, size:01×0.5cm
Flower: pyramidal racemose, clustered, diameter:13mm, white, good fragrance
Fruit: beans purple into brown, compressed, size:13×1.5cm
Seed:
Camera: mobile Samsung Galaxy A21s

Leaves pairs are 7/8 or less than 10, sharing an image.


I think it is close to the images at Senegalia torta (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger


Google says bark of S. rugata used as hair shampoo and only one rigid bark image in eFI is correct, but leaves are not matching. I don’t know S. torta bark is used as hair shampoo (if it is, OK). This plant is growing throughout Kerala, it’s dried bark is very famous as hair shampoo and available through all ayurvedic medical shops and local markets. Sharing an image,


That is right.

Both species look quite similar, but the pods are different.
Pl. see pods of Senegalia rugata

Pl. check with name Acacia torta (syn. of Senegalia torta (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger) at
http://gbpihedenvis.Glossary_Medicinal_Plants_Springer.pdf


Yes, it is Senegalia torta, dear …, thank you very much for ID my plant,


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Senegallia torta from Herbal Garden, Delhi-GS04032022-1: 6 very high res. images.

Senegallia torta (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger
Syn: Acacia torta (Roxb.) Craib
Photographed from Herbal Garden, Delhi, 11-4-2012.

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Fabaceae: Senegalia torta (Roxb.) Maslin, Seigler & Ebinger: 1 high res. image.
synonym: Acacia torta (Roxb.) Craib
location/date: Tarubanda village, Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Amravati Distr., Maharashtra, November 1994


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TBN 1 a & b is Pterolobium hexapetalum (Caesalipiaceae) and TBN c & d is Mimosa intsia (Mimosaceae).


Thanks for the id. I understand from the net that Mimosa intsia is a synonym of Acacia torta. If so, are there two varieties: one with white flowers and the other with pink flowers?
Please clarify.


I agree with … id.
Yes …, Acacia torta has two forms as mentioned by you.


Some species of Mimosa as per Anup ji at GRAM Looking to ID this Acacia


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References:
Updated on March 10, 2025

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