Category:Acacia

A*ca"ci*a, n. (Antiq.)

Defn: A roll or bag, filled with dust, borne by Byzantine emperors, as a memento of mortality. It is represented on medals.

A*ca"cia, n.; pl. E. Acacias, L. Acaciæ. Etym: [L. from Gr. ak to be sharp. See Acute.]

1. A genus of leguminous trees and shrubs. Nearly 300 species are Australian or Polynesian, and have terete or vertically compressed leaf stalks, instead of the bipinnate leaves of the much fewer species of America, Africa, etc. Very few are found in temperate climates.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; -- called also gum acacia, and gum arabic.

- ---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Acacia trees and shrubs belong to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. The species in Australia tend to have no thorns, while elsewhere, acacias are typically thorny.

Acacias are also known as thorntrees, whistling thorns or wattles, including the yellow-fever acacia and umbrella acacias.

Acacia flowers pollinated by bees to make honey has a flowery taste, soft running texture, and glass-like appearance. Acacia honey does not crystallize.

The wood was used in Biblical times and burned as incense. Acacia farnesiana is used to produce perfume. Acacia seyal is thought to be the Shittah-tree of the Bible, which was sought to build the Ark of the Covenant. The wood of some species is used to make high polished furniture. Other species have a fragrant wood used to make ornaments.

The Egyptians used to use it in paints. Various other species produce gum, but it is inferior to the true gum trees. Some ornamental varieties are used for home security because of their thorns. They are planted under windows or near drainpipes.

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Acacia - (Hebrew shittim) Exo 25:5, R.V. probably the Acacia seyal (the gum-arabic tree); called the "shittah" tree (Isa 41:19). Its wood is called shittim wood (Exo 26:15, Exo 26:26; Exo 25:10, Exo 25:13, Exo 25:23, Exo 25:28, etc.). This species (A. seyal) is like the hawthorn, a gnarled and thorny tree. It yields the gum-arabic of commerce. It is found in abundance in the Sinaitic peninsula. ---excerpt from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897.