=The Fruits= are pods, 3-5 inches long, ½-¾ inch broad, flat, dark red-brown with a grey bloom and containing from 6-12 flat, oval, brown seeds. The pod is slightly embossed at the seeds and very persistent, numbers remaining on the tree till the following rains. [Illustration] =ACACIA NILOTICA= Del.—_Bagaruwa namiji_. LEGUMINOSAE. This species is nearly allied to _Acacia arabica_ and can be at once distinguished from it by the smooth, jointed pods. In other respects it is very similar. The native distinguishes the two species by the fruits, the _Acacia arabica_ with its large grey “sant pods” being known as the female, “ta mata” as against the name “namiji” of _A. nilotica_. As a rule this species is a much larger tree than _A. arabica_ and two forms are commonly met with. The one, which is common in low-lying country liable to inundation, has a short bole and a large number of slender branches which ascend to a great height and spread out wide, forming a large semi-spherical crown almost reaching the ground. The other has a long bole with a girth of 10 feet or more and a high rounded crown. The latter type yields a large volume of timber. =The Bark= is almost black with deep fissures and very long, ragged scales, which fall in large pieces. The slash is red-brown, with darker streaks. =The Thorns= are in pairs, quite small near the twig tips and up to 2 inches or more in length elsewhere, straight or curved, more often the latter, white, slender and very strong and sharp. =The Wood= is reddish-brown in colour, almost blood-colour in cross section, with marked rings. It is very close grained, the cross section being able to be planed quite smooth. The grain is irregular and picks up. The weight is about 75 lbs. per cubic foot. See _A. arabica_. =The Leaves= are 2-3 inches long with some five pairs of pinnae bearing 10-20 pairs of leaflets, bluish-green with a grey pubescence. =The Flowers= are very numerous from February onwards in clusters of 2-5 at the nodes, the slender stalks over an inch long and the sweet-scented, yellow flower balls over ½ inch in diameter. As a rule the ends of the twigs on which the flowers are borne have no spines, these appearing later. =The Pods= are very variable in size, up to 6 inches in length and their peculiarity is the marked jointing which, before they are full grown, gives them the appearance of a string of beads. They are smooth, with a slight bloom and contain some 6-8 oval, flattened seeds which ripen from March onwards. =Uses.=—The wood is used for axe, hoe and tool handles. [Illustration] =ACACIA SENEGAL= Willd.—_Dakwora_. LEGUMINOSAE.