Large armed shrub, the spines being often leaf-bearing. Leaves abruptly bipinnate; pinnæ 5-10-jugate, with a stipitate gland between each pair; leaflets 12-22 pairs. Flowers in dense pink and yellow cylindrical heads; pods much twisted. Kordofan Prov. & Southern Sudan. Wood hard, compact, density 0.620, yellow ochre colour, good for cabinet making. 285 =Neptunia oleracea= _Lour._ Aquatic herb, often floating. Leaves bipinnate; pinnæ 2-3 pair, opposite; leaflets 8-20 pair. Flowers in an oblong head, ½-1 in. long, yellow; stamens 10. Pod 1 in. long by ¼ in. wide, long-stalked. White Nile Prov. (J. Arashkol); Kordofan Prov.; Mongalla Prov. Eaten as a pot-herb. 286 =Mimosa asperata= _Linn._ HAB BITA EL AIN (Baggara), SHAGAR EL FAS & HABBAS—Arab; MOSAGHANI—Hameg; M’BASE—Golo. Straggling, prickly shrub. Leaves bipinnate, sensitive; pinnæ 7-16 pair; leaflets 25-40-jugate. Flower heads globose, pinkish, on ab. 1 in. long axillary peduncles. Pod very hairy, compressed, linear-oblong, 1 in. long. Southern Sudan (Edges of watercourses). The fruit is used as medicine for the eyes in Kordofan. 287 =Acacia Sieberiana= _DC._ Moderate-sized tree, sometimes large. Stipular thorns straight, usually short on flowering shoots. Leaves bipinnate, as in other Sudan species; pinnæ 10-30 pair, with a large gland near base of rachis; leaflets 20-40 pair. Flower-heads globose, on 1-2 in. peduncles, which are solitary below and fascicled above. Pod 6-7 in. long, 2-valved, straight or slightly curved, compressed, ¾ in. broad. Darfur Prov.: Bahr El Jebel (Madi woods). Wood hard, yellow ochre colour, density 0.946 heartwood, 0.851 sapwood, readily attacked by insects (white ants, etc.); useful for packing cases, light furniture, mortars, implements. A decoction of the root acts as a vermifuge. =A. spirocarpa= _Hochst._ SAYAL—Arab; TAWĀR or TOWAI—Hadendowa; KANDIA (J. Daier)—Nuba; MUTU—Bari. Large tree with bipinnate leaves and straight stipular spines. Flower- heads globose, greenish-white; pods spirally twisted. Pinnæ 4-10 pairs; leaflets 7-15 pair, very small. Northern Sudan; Blue Nile, White Nile & Kordofan Provinces. The bast yields a strong fibre. The pods are called ULLAF—Arab. =A. tortilis= _Hayne._ SAMR—Arab; SANGANEIP & SANGANĒ—Hadendowa; SAKBE—Rashida. Obconical, flat-topped, large shrub or small tree, with straight and curved spines. Flower-heads globose, whitish; pods twisted. Pinnæ 2-5 pairs, glands on rachis minute or absent, leaflets 8-12 pairs, linear- oblong. North Sudan. Sapwood moderately dark or brown, heartwood small, dark brown. Medullary rays fine. Pores uniform, moderate sized, in concentric lines of flat arcs. Wood fairly hard and heavy, used in the Red Sea Prov. for ribs of boats and for pulleys and blocks. It is liable to attacks of boring insects. =A. nilotica= _DC._ Characters as in the next species, but pods quite glabrous.