A genus of trees and shrubs with yellow or white flower clusters, many species of which produce gum arabic. These trees are common in warm, dry regions and have distinctive feathery leaves.
From Arabic as-samur or al-qaraḍ, various names for different acacia species, though the word entered English via Greek akakia meaning 'thorny tree'. Arabic botanists were among the first to systematically classify different acacia species and their uses. The word entered English via Latin in the 16th century.
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