A shrub, branches usually hairy when young. The larger leaf with 7-19 pairs of pinnae, glands present on the rachis may be sessile or stipitate, pinnae 1-2 cm long, leaflets 7-19 pairs, 2-5 mm, sometimes up to 9 mm long, obtuse, subacute or acute at the apex, margins hairy. Inflorescence fascicled spike, pedun¬cles hairy. Pod 8-11 mm, sometimes up to 14 mm wide, coiled.

Fl. Per. May June.

Type: Ceylon, Hermann Mus.Zeyl.no.215 (BM).

Distribution: Widely distributed in Africa; cultivated in Lahore and Karachi.

Our plants agree with dichrostachys cinerea ssp. africana var. africana according to Brenan & Brummitt (in Bol.Soc.Brot.39 (2) :77.1965).