We have few details about this taxon; if you can provide any information, photos or reliable records, please contact one of the site authors. Email addresses are given on the home page.
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Synonyms:
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| Common names:
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Grey-haired acacia (English)
Ikope (Ndebele)
Isanqawe (Ndebele)
Red thorn (English)
Uhahla (Ndebele)
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| Frequency:
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| Status:
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Native |
Description:
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Small tree with distinctly ascending branches. Young branches robust, densely covered in tufted leaves and grey velvety hairs; Spines paired, mostly straight, c. 1.5 cm but some pairs long and somewhat recurved. Leaves tufted on woody cushions, up 6 × 4 cm with 5-9 pairs of pinnae, bearing many small, finely pubescent leaflets. Flowers in axillary clusters of spherical heads, white. Pod 8-15 cm, sickle-shaped, narrow, rounded, not woody, covered in grey velvety hairs, dehiscent. |
| Notes:
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Note: this is a variable species, not easily identified, most easily confused with Acacia robusta or A. luederitzii. The latter is restricted to Kalahari sand, where A. gerrardii does not occur. |
| Derivation of specific name:
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gerrardii: named after William T. Gerrard, English traveller and naturalist, who collected the type specimen in KwaZulu-Natal |
| Habitat:
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In woodland and wooded grassland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) |
600 - 1500 m |
| Flowering time:
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Sep - Feb |
| Worldwide distribution:
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Throughout most of Tropical Africa to KwaZulu-Natal, S Africa |
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Zimbabwe distribution:
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N,W,C,E,S |
| Growth form:
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ST |
| Endemic status:
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| Red data list status:
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| Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
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Anthene amarah amarah (Black-striped hairtail)
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| Spot characters:
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Display spot characters for this species |
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Content last updated: |
Saturday 10 March 2007 |
| Literature:
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