Vachellia etbaica subsp. uncinata (Brenan) Kyal. & Boatwr.

This tree is propagated by seeds. Steps to follow: • Pre-treat with warm water, soaking seeds for 24 hours. • Sow collected seeds in seed tray filled with a ratio of 3 peat moss: 1 compost, 5 cm apart. • Irrigate the seed tray three times a week. • Germination commences from 4–7 days. Seed germination of this species is low and average germination is around 26%.

maintenanceAr.Item1 maintenanceAr.Item3

Not known

Miller & Morris (1988) wrote that: "Acacia etbaica was a tree of the greatest economic importance in eralier times. In the days when most of the basic and indispensable utensils and articles of daily use such as water skins, milk skins, and butter skins (as well as a host of other bags, containers, straps, ropes and thongs) were made from leather which was prepared in the home, a good tanning agent was of prime importance, and this tree was considered to provide the best of those available in Dhofar. This tree grows plentifully in a rather restricted ecological zone - in the very high and dry plateaux, beyond the reach of the annual rains and often in association with Dracaena trees. To obtain the tanning agent, the branches were cut and allowed to dry out, and were then beaten with staves until all the leaves, fruit, growing tips and slighter ... twigs had fallen off. These were collected and stored in sacks and leather bags, and taken for sale or kept for future use. The bedouin who in the main lived and herded in these higher drier areas would either tan goat skins themselves and sell the finished product to those in the monsoon mountains and the coastal towns, or sell the tanning material obtained from the acacia to others for their own use. To tan a skin or hide the leaves had to be pounded and ground down to as fine a powder as possible, then wetted to make a paste which was smeared over the hide (already stripped of its hair). This was then vigorously rubbed and kneaded and rolled energetically back and forth over an area of flat stone. This exhausting occupation is called [J: tetob] and was generally performed by women - sometimes more than one being needed to prepare a large skin, such as the hide of a mature cow which was cured for use as a sleeping mattress [J: reke]. The tanning agent from this tree was regarded as being the only one that was powerful enough for the vital waterskins, rendering them resilient, durable and impermeable. Mixed with the dried stems and leaves of Loranthus schimperi it was also appreciated for tanning the butter-making skins (of great economic importance, since the selling of the butter was almost the only way to pay off the debts incurred for the necessary feeding of livestock with dried sardines during the summer season). Normally such skins have a very short life, rarely surviving more than a month, or perhaps a little longer if very carefully and throughly tanned and stitched, or if oiled with oil rather than with butter after tanning. Livestock are not keen on the foliage of the tree, and their herders agree that the foliage is too 'hot' for them. The tree produces tiny amounts of red resin [J: josot] which is not edible and has no medicinal significance. Dead wood was burned and the ash taken as snuff or added to purchased ground tobacco to make it go further and to make it even more acrid. The wood provided excellent fuel, burning slowly with an intense heat and producing little smoke". (Ref. Plants of Dhofar). In addition, Richardson & Dorr (2003) mentioned that: "A number of different tanning agents are used in Oman, the most common of which are the dried leaves and pods of indigenous acacia trees (Acacia nilotica, Acacia etbaica or Acacia tortilis)". (Ref. The Craft Heritage of Oman).

*POWO (2022). ""Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org *Ghazanfar, S. (2007). Flora of the Sultanate of Oman, vol.2: Crassulaceae – Apiaceae. Meise, National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Scripta Botanica Begica, Vol. 36). ISBN 9789072619747 ISSN 0779-2387. *https://en.wiktionary.org *https://en.wikipedia.org *https://www.marinespecies.org *Miller, A., Morris, M. (1988). Plants of Dhofar, the Southern Region of Oman: Traditional, Economic, and Medicinal Uses. Published by Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman; ISBN 10: 0715708082 ISSN 13: 9780715708088. *Richardson, N. Dorr, M. (2003). The Craft Heritage of Oman; vol. 1. Published by Motivate publishing. ISBN 1-86063-1576.