TAXONOMICAL STUDY OF ACACIA NILOTICA (LINN) WILD (A DYE YIELDING PLANT) IN CHURU DISTRICT

Abstract

The genus Acacia belongs to family Mimosaceae. Acacia Wild is a very large genus containing trees, shrubs and climbers. Acacia nilotica (linn), Wild is known in India as babul, kikar, babur (Hindi). It is a moderate sized tree with a spreading crown. It is indigenous to the Indian Sub-continent as also in Tropical Africa, Burma, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and in West and East Sudan. In India, natural babul forests are generally found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajesthan, Haryana and Karnataka. A. nilotica is truly a multipurpose tree. Its timber is valued by rural folks, its leaves and pod are used as fodder and gum has a number of uses. It tolerates extremes of temperature and moisture. It is suited for planting on marginal lands and can survive both drought and flooded conditions.This article briefly reviews the Taxonomical as well as economic importance of Acacia nilotica with plant description.