| content |
| Acacia erioloba | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Acacia erioloba Camel Thorn
 Seeds and pods
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||||||
| Acacia erioloba Meyer, Ernst Heinrich Friedrich (1791-1858) |
Acacia erioloba (formerly Acacia giraffae), and commonly known as the Camel Thorn (Kameeldoring in Afrikaans) or Giraffe Thorn, is a thorn acacia native to the drier parts of Southern Africa - the Transvaal, western Free State, northern Cape Province, Botswana and Namibia. It can grow up to 17 metres high. It was described by William John Burchell, however Jacobus Coetse already named the tree in 1760, some 50 years earlier.
The name refers to the fact that giraffe (kameelperd in Afrikaans) commonly graze on the hard-to-reach succulent leaves normally out of reach of smaller animals. Giraffe are partial to all acacias and possess a specially-adapted tongue and lips that can cope with the vicious thorns. It also grows ear-shaped pods, which are favoured by a large number of herbivores including cattle. The wood is dark reddish-brown in colour and extremely dense and strong. Unfortunately, it is a very good fuel, which leads to widespread clearing of dead trees and the felling of healthy trees. It is slow-growing, very hardy to drought and fairly frost-resistant.
According to superstition, lightning will strike at A. erioloba more readily than other trees. It is also possible to roast the seeds to be used as a substitute for coffee beans.
