black thorn, noun phrase
- Origin:
- AfrikaansShow more Probably translation of Afrikaans swarthaak, swart black + haak hook.
Either of two acacias of the Fabaceae:
a. rare. The thorn tree Acacia nilotica, with a sweet scent.
1973 I.C. Verdoorn in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. IX. 266Red-Heart, Black-thorn...(Acacia nilotica = A. benthami.) Thorn-tree with a spreading round canopy, belonging to the family Leguminosae, subfamily Mimosoideae. It is characterised by the straight pods which turn blackish when ripe.
b. The deciduous tree A. mellifera, especially subspecies detinens, with large curved thorns in pairs and hard, red timber; also called haakdoring (sense 1).
1992 Weekend Post 6 June (Leisure) 7R1,05c: A. mellifera, black thorn. Named mellifera (honey-bearing) for its plentiful nectar, it provides good fodder and, once it has grown, shade.
1992 D.M.C. Fourie in Philatelic Bulletin 61Acacia mellifera Black thorn, The black thorn is a valuable fodder and provides good shade once it has developed into a tree...Two subspecies are recognised in the black thorn. The most common of the two is subsp. detinens which has a wide distribution range.
The thorn tree Acacia nilotica, with a sweet scent.
The deciduous tree A. mellifera, especially subspecies detinens, with large curved thorns in pairs and hard, red timber; also called haakdoring (sense 1).
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