What is Acacia confusa

Acacia confusa

Acacia confusa is a perennial tree native to South-East Asia. Some common names for it are acacia petit feuille, small Philippine acacia, Formosa acacia (Taiwan acacia) and Formosan koa. It grows to a height of 15m. The tree has become very common in many tropical Pacific areas, including Hawaii, where the species is considered invasive.

Uses
Its uses include chemical products, environmental management and food and drink. The bark may be ground into a powder and steeped in water to create a tea, or may be spread onto various foods as a spice and taste enhancer. The wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cm³. In Taiwan, its wood was used to make support beams for underground mines. The wood is also converted to charcoal for family use. The plant is used in traditional medicine and is available from herbal medicine shops (草藥店) in Taiwan, but there has been no clinical study to support its effectiveness. It is also frequently used as a durable flooring material.

Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals found in Acacia confusa:

Root bark

• N-Methyltryptamine, 1.43%^{[not in citation given]}
• N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, 1.15%^{[not in citation given]}

Seeds

• Oxalyldiaminopropionic acid (α-amino-β-oxalylaminopropionic acid), which can cause neurological damage, paralysis, and death.

Stems

• N-Methyltryptamine, 0.04%

Varieties

• Acacia confusa var. inamurai Hayata

See also

• List of Acacia species

References