Species name
Acacia hockii ¹ De Wild.

Family
Mimosaceae (Fabaceae)

Local name(s)
**

General description
A usually small acacia, 2-4m high with a rather open crown. Occasionally a tree to 8m. The bark is yellow to greenish yellow, peeling. Thorns are paired, straight on relatively few branches. Flowers are in yellow or orange heads. The pods are reddish brown, narrow, straight or crescent shaped. 

Edible part(s), preparation methods and palatability
Inside of the bark is edible. The inner bark fibre is chewed for its juice which has a sweet taste. The gum is also edible. The bark is taken off the tree and immediately the inside of the bark is scratched off and consumed. This measure is only taken when there is extreme food shortage.

Agroecology
Grows from West Africa to Sudan and south to Mozambique. Common on sloping rocky bushed grassland, from sea level to 2,400m. The tree is associated with poor soils, especially sands where it often becomes the dominant shrub.

Propagation method(s) 
**

Sample location (s)
Kaissa Kebele, Bako-Gazer (South Omo)

Remarks
The acacia with the sweetest bark string. The species is also used as fuelwood, fodder and for fencing.

¹ _{Parts of the following description have been taken from Maundu et al., 1999: p.42.}