Taxon:  Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev.



Summary
Genus:
Faidherbia
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Caesalpinioideae
Tribe:
Ingeae
Nomen number:
301012
Place of publication:
Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 14:876.  1934
Verified:
08/04/1986 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
12 (1  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Acacia albida Delile

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Berhaut, J. 1971-. Flore illustrée du Senegal. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  4. Boudet, G. et al. 1986. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali
  5. Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
  6. Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  7. Chibamba, D. et al. 2017. Impact of foreign aid on integration of Faidherbia albida (Musangu tree) in agricultural transformation in Africa: lessons from Zambia. Nature & Faune 31:26-28. Note: a multipurpose species native to Zambia, cultivation promoted but poorly accepted due to several negative outcomes
  8. Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  9. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  10. Fagg, C. W. & J. L. Stewart. 1994. The value of Acacia and Prosopis in arid and semi-arid environments. J. Arid Environm. 27:7.
  11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  12. Harris, S. A. et al. 1997. Isozyme variation in Faidherbia albida (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 207:119-132.
  13. Janick, J. & J. E. Simmon, eds. 1993. New crops 146.
  14. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  15. Lebrun, J.-P. et al. 1972. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Tchad meridional
  16. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  17. Merxmüller, H., ed. 1966-1972. Prodromus einer flora von Sudwestafrika. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  18. Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
  19. National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
  20. Noulekoun, F. et al. 2017. Characterization of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. population in agroforestry parklands in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia: impact of conservation, environmental factors and human disturbances. Agroforest. Systems 91:123-135. DOI: 10.1007/s10457-016-9910-6. Note: a multipurpose species
  21. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  22. Robyns, W. et al., eds. 1948-1963. Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi
  23. Ross, J. H. 1979. A conspectus of the African Acacia species. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa 44:83. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  24. Timberlake, J. et al. 1999. Field guide to the acacias of Zimbabwe.
  25. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  26. Vassal, J. 1981. Tribe 4. Acacieae Benth. Advances in legume systematics. 1:170.
  27. Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishanatree  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Englishmusangu tree  1Chibamba, D. et al. 2017. Impact of foreign aid on integration of Faidherbia albida (Musangu tree) in agricultural transformation in Africa: lessons from Zambia. Nature & Faune 31:26-28. Note: a multipurpose species native to Zambia, cultivation promoted but poorly accepted due to several negative outcomes
Englishwhitethorn  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Englishwinterthorn  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Arabicharaaz  2Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
Frencharbre blanc  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanAnabaum  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portugueseespinheiro-de-Angola  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaChad  Lebrun, J.-P. et al. 1972. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Tchad meridional
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Noulekoun, F. et al. 2017. Characterization of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. population in agroforestry parklands in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia: impact of conservation, environmental factors and human disturbances. Agroforest. Systems 91:123-135. DOI: 10.1007/s10457-016-9910-6. Note: a multipurpose species
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria s.Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMalawi  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZambia  Chibamba, D. et al. 2017. Impact of foreign aid on integration of Faidherbia albida (Musangu tree) in agricultural transformation in Africa: lessons from Zambia. Nature & Faune 31:26-28. Note: a multipurpose species native to Zambia, cultivation promoted but poorly accepted due to several negative outcomes
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Merxmüller, H., ed. 1966-1972. Prodromus einer flora von Sudwestafrika. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaTransvaal Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaBenin  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaCôte D'Ivoire  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGambia  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea-Bissau  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaMali  Boudet, G. et al. 1986. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaMauritania  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNiger  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSenegal  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo  Robyns, W. et al., eds. 1948-1963. Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia  Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4Naturalized    natzd. elsewhere 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (s.), Egypt
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa [KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal]
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Israel, Syria
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)
  1. Boudet, G. et al. 1986. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali
  2. Boulos, L. 1999-. Flora of Egypt
  3. Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  4. Chibamba, D. et al. 2017. Impact of foreign aid on integration of Faidherbia albida (Musangu tree) in agricultural transformation in Africa: lessons from Zambia. Nature & Faune 31:26-28. Note: a multipurpose species native to Zambia, cultivation promoted but poorly accepted due to several negative outcomes
  5. Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  6. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  7. Lebrun, J.-P. et al. 1972. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Tchad meridional
  8. Merxmüller, H., ed. 1966-1972. Prodromus einer flora von Sudwestafrika. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  9. Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
  10. Noulekoun, F. et al. 2017. Characterization of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. population in agroforestry parklands in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia: impact of conservation, environmental factors and human disturbances. Agroforest. Systems 91:123-135. DOI: 10.1007/s10457-016-9910-6. Note: a multipurpose species
  11. Robyns, W. et al., eds. 1948-1963. Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi
  12. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Acacia albida Delile
  13. Wickens, G. E. 1969. A study of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosoideae). Kew Bull. 23:181-202.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodforagepotentialNational Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Environmentalagroforestry Janick, J. & J. E. Simmon, eds. 1993. New crops 146.
Environmentalagroforestry Noulekoun, F. et al. 2017. Characterization of Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. population in agroforestry parklands in the highlands of Northern Ethiopia: impact of conservation, environmental factors and human disturbances. Agroforest. Systems 91:123-135. DOI: 10.1007/s10457-016-9910-6. Note: a multipurpose species
Environmentalsoil improver Janick, J. & J. E. Simmon, eds. 1993. New crops 146.
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=301012. Accessed 15 April 2026.