Acacia (อาเคเชีย)

English-Thai. Generic name for a genus of pod-bearing trees and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae, which belongs to the family Fabaceae. In general, Acacias have compound pinnate leaves and are found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. There are an estimated 1,300 species, with the majority native to Australia. The name Acacia drives from the Greek word agkathi (αγκάθι), which means ‘thorn’, due to the fact that, except for most Australian species, all the others have thorns. Hence, Acaias are sometimes referred to as Thorn Trees. Their flowers have very small petals, that are arranged in dense globular or cylindrical clusters. In most species, these small flowers are yellow or cream-coloured, though in some species they may be whitish, purple, or even red. See also krathin. 回