The swellings are domatia housing myrmecophile ants which protect the tree. An eastern Africa species, also known as Swollen Thorn and placed in the Vachellia genus by some. Photo from Songea region, Tanzania.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flora of Tanzania. The Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) A mouthful of that could change your perspective. This species of acacia grows two kinds of thorns. The main defense is provided by pairs 5cm long arranged nearly at a right angle. Smaller stipular spines grow between the pairs of big thorns. These emerge from hollow galls, bulbous swellings 2 to 3cm across. One of four different species of ant lives in each of these igloos, which they open up by cutting holes into them. A dying bush whistles as the wind blows over these entrances. Most acacias make toxins that it rushes to leaves that are under attack by browsers. The whistling thorn doesn't. It is infested with stinging ants that swarm out and prepare to bite anything they can when the branch is disturbed. Most browsers seem to avoid infested bushes, perhaps because the ants stink of formic acid. Date: 8 August 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Nevit Dilmen (talk). Camera location2° 25′ 12.27″ S, 34° 51′ 27.75″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.420075; 34.857708.
Summary[edit] Description: The Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) on Whistling Thorn Acacia (Acacia drepanolobium) is a member of the roller family of birds. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, preferring open woodland and savanna. Date: 2 June 2012, 10:53. Source: Western Serengeti_2012 06 02_3993 Uploaded by Elitre. Author: Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA. Camera location2° 20′ 45.03″ S, 34° 15′ 55.59″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.345841; 34.265441.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flora of Tanzania. The Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) A mouthful of that could change your perspective. This species of acacia grows two kinds of thorns. The main defense is provided by pairs 5cm long arranged nearly at a right angle. Smaller stipular spines grow between the pairs of big thorns. These emerge from hollow galls, bulbous swellings 2 to 3cm across. One of four different species of ant lives in each of these igloos, which they open up by cutting holes into them. A dying bush whistles as the wind blows over these entrances. Most acacias make toxins that it rushes to leaves that are under attack by browsers. The whistling thorn doesn't. It is infested with stinging ants that swarm out and prepare to bite anything they can when the branch is disturbed. Most browsers seem to avoid infested bushes, perhaps because the ants stink of formic acid. Date: 8 August 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Nevit Dilmen (talk). Camera location2° 25′ 11.96″ S, 34° 51′ 27.95″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.419988; 34.857765.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flowers of whistling thorn tree (Vachellia drepanolobium) photographed near Nanyuki, Kenya. Date: 1 March 2018, 16:45:21. Source: Own work. Author: ChriKo. Camera location0° 02′ 25.99″ S, 37° 03′ 58.4″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -0.040552; 37.066223.
Summary[edit] Description: The whistling thorn acacia protects itself with pairs of long thorns up to 3 inches long. Interspersed with these are modified thorns, called stipular spines, which are joined at the base by hollow bulbous swellings about 1 inch in diameter. These are home to four different kinds of stinging ants who pierce these swollen thorns with tiny holes. When the wind blows it turns old and abandoned spines into tiny whistling flutes, which gives the tree its name. From www.blueplanetbiomes.org/whistling_thorn.htm. Date: 10 November 2002, 13:34. Source: Whistling Thorn. Author: Alastair Rae from London, United Kingdom.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flora of Tanzania. The Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) A mouthful of that could change your perspective. This species of acacia grows two kinds of thorns. The main defense is provided by pairs 5cm long arranged nearly at a right angle. Smaller stipular spines grow between the pairs of big thorns. These emerge from hollow galls, bulbous swellings 2 to 3cm across. One of four different species of ant lives in each of these igloos, which they open up by cutting holes into them. A dying bush whistles as the wind blows over these entrances. Most acacias make toxins that it rushes to leaves that are under attack by browsers. The whistling thorn doesn't. It is infested with stinging ants that swarm out and prepare to bite anything they can when the branch is disturbed. Most browsers seem to avoid infested bushes, perhaps because the ants stink of formic acid. Date: 8 August 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Nevit Dilmen (talk). Camera location2° 25′ 12.15″ S, 34° 51′ 28.04″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.420043; 34.857788.
Summary[edit] Description: Acacia drepanolobium, commonly known as Whistling Thorn, is an acacia native to East Africa. These swollen thorns are naturally hollow and occupied by any one of several symbiotic ant species. The common name of the plant is derived from the observation that when wind blows over bulbous thorns in which ants have made entry/exit holes, they create a whistling noise. Date: 2 June 2012, 10:53. Source: Western Serengeti_2012 06 02_3995 Uploaded by Elitre. Author: Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA. Camera location2° 20′ 45.03″ S, 34° 15′ 55.59″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.345841; 34.265441.
Summary[edit] Description: The swellings are domatia housing myrmecophile ants which protect the tree. An eastern Africa species, also known as Swollen Thorn and placed in the Vachellia genus by some. Photo from Songea region, Tanzania. Date: 4 March 2016, 19:38. Source: Acacia drepanolobium-- Whistling Thorn. Author: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Small whistling thorn tree (Vachellia drepanolobium) photographed near Nanyuki, Kenya. Date: 19 July 2013, 11:55:10. Source: Own work. Author: Chr. Kooyman.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flora of Tanzania. The Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) A mouthful of that could change your perspective. This species of acacia grows two kinds of thorns. The main defense is provided by pairs 5cm long arranged nearly at a right angle. Smaller stipular spines grow between the pairs of big thorns. These emerge from hollow galls, bulbous swellings 2 to 3cm across. One of four different species of ant lives in each of these igloos, which they open up by cutting holes into them. A dying bush whistles as the wind blows over these entrances. Most acacias make toxins that it rushes to leaves that are under attack by browsers. The whistling thorn doesn't. It is infested with stinging ants that swarm out and prepare to bite anything they can when the branch is disturbed. Most browsers seem to avoid infested bushes, perhaps because the ants stink of formic acid. Date: 8 August 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Nevit Dilmen (talk). Camera location2° 25′ 11.99″ S, 34° 51′ 25.51″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.419997; 34.857087.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Seed pods of whistling thorn tree (Vachellia drepanolobium) photographed near Nanyuki, Kenya. Date: 19 July 2013, 11:54:12. Source: Own work. Author: Chr. Kooyman.
Summary[edit] Description: English: Flora of Tanzania. The Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) A mouthful of that could change your perspective. This species of acacia grows two kinds of thorns. The main defense is provided by pairs 5cm long arranged nearly at a right angle. Smaller stipular spines grow between the pairs of big thorns. These emerge from hollow galls, bulbous swellings 2 to 3cm across. One of four different species of ant lives in each of these igloos, which they open up by cutting holes into them. A dying bush whistles as the wind blows over these entrances. Most acacias make toxins that it rushes to leaves that are under attack by browsers. The whistling thorn doesn't. It is infested with stinging ants that swarm out and prepare to bite anything they can when the branch is disturbed. Most browsers seem to avoid infested bushes, perhaps because the ants stink of formic acid. Date: 8 August 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Nevit Dilmen (talk). Camera location2° 25′ 12.46″ S, 34° 51′ 25.71″ EView all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap -2.420128; 34.857142.
