About Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton
Senegalia senegal, also previously classified as Acacia senegal, is a small thorny deciduous tree in the genus Senegalia. It has many common names: gum acacia, gum arabic tree, Sudan gum, and Sudan gum arabic. In some regions of India, it is also called kher, khor, or kumatiya.
This species is native to semi-desert areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Oman, Pakistan, and west coastal India. Mature trees reach a height of 5–12 metres (16–40 feet), with a trunk that can grow up to 30 cm (1 foot) in diameter.
Sudan produces the world's highest quality gum arabic from this tree; locally this product is called hashab gum. It is distinguished from a lower quality related gum arabic harvested from red acacia, which is called talah gum.
In traditional practice, the tree has reportedly been used for its astringent properties, to treat bleeding, bronchitis, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, catarrh, gonorrhea, leprosy, typhoid fever, and upper respiratory tract infections.
