Tabish and all friends,

Click on above photo to reach Flickr; click on any of the three photos to reach individual photopages - and click on "All Sizes" to view larger version.

I have a strong feeling that it may be Acacia pennata but cannot rule out A. torta found at FOI [ http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Twisted%20Acacia.html ].

The descrïptions found on WWW for A. pennata is very similar to that of A. torta.

Your thoughts.

Regards,
Dinesh.

Dinesh Acacia pennata is a synonym of A. torta, rather, a misapplied name. See these links:
http://www.catalogueoflife.org/show_species_details.php?record_id=612644
http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?sciname=Acacia+torta
Which probably means that A. pennata is another plant, but many times this name is wrongly applied to the plant which, in reality, is A. torta.

Tabish, agreed that A. pennata is misapplied to A. torta and that it is different species.

... do I understand that the plant in my photo is A. torta ?

I have got stuck by a doubt (I am putting a cropped version of the above photo, showing "a large gland ... present on the main rachis of leaves above the middle of the petiole" ... a id key to pennata) unless it is also found in torta.

I searched descrïptions of A. torta; using its synonyms for search as well ... but I could not come across such charcteristic gland described.



The "gland" descrïption was extracted from a web page located at http://www.acacia-world.net/html/a_pennata.html ... discusses a variety of A. pennata found in Thailand.
... the gland in the photo does not seem "large" :-)

Please read (search "pennata") at:
Acacia World
International Medicinal Plants Growers' Consortium
FAO

If you believe the plant in my photo is torta, I am relieved ... else I may have to re-visit Nagla forest to take a look at the plant's bark ... "smooth brownish-grey bark with papery scales and reddish slash" ... other descrïption seems agreeable.

Dinesh, you have a keen eye! I never carefully considered glands.
For A. torta, this is what Efloras (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250063320) has to say:

Quote :

Rachis c. 12.5-20 cm long, with obliquely conical gland near the base of the petiole and convex glands between the upper pair or pairs of pinnae; glands hirsute.

The bottom of your picture (after magnifying) gives a vague indication of a gland between two upper pinnae, for whatever it is worth. However, the location of the gland on the petiole seems to agree well the descrïption of A. pennata.

I must say that with the present information with us, I cannot say anything more - can't say that your pic is A. torta or A. pennata. Guess, paying another visit to the specimen, with a botanist's eye might throw more light.

Can't help wonder at the same time that if these are the ONLY differences, why are these two different species at all?!  
Are these botanists crazy or something?!

Thanks Tabish very much for the clarifications.
I will update my notes tentatively for A. pennata ... in the meanwhile will dig into specimen at first chance.

i think this is SHIKEKAI

No Ajinkya; I think not.
I will update here once I get to know the differences.