Murna Acacia

This is one of the most widespread trees across Alkelbulan, a dominant species in Nyasi za Rangi. The leaves, flowers and legumes of these trees are an important source of food to both domesticated and wild animals despite them being guarded by dramatic thorns. The pods are highly desired, even by humans, as all Murna Acacia legumes are infused with Mpertem's Aura. The pods invigorate the consumer and impart euphoria. Producer Evergreen Flowering Woody Spinose Trichome

Kaithur

First Ability Mpertem's Aura Thanks to Mpertem's Aura, Murna Acacia can generate temporary emotions or states related to Mpertem, imparting motivation, vigor, joy and general euphoria in those that eat its legumes. The same effect can be extracted from its sap as gum or by eating it's leaves. Second Ability Rithaldis' Touch Those with Rithaldis' Touch can afflict ionizing radiation via touch, the longer this contact occurs the more intense and pervasive this radiation is. This effect is concentrated in its thorns, the longer a grazer continues to touch them, the more radiation is released. Ilnid's Skin With Ilnid's Skin, Murna Acacia are able to generate a layer of or convert their bark and thorns into sand or glass, differing by individual. Only converts the outermost layer but can also build up layers and expand this around them in different shapes. Used defensively against unwanted grazers but also as protection from sandstorms. Kalitho's Aura Murna Acacia with Kalitho's Aura are able to summon or generate visible light in various ways, crafting optical illusions, changing colors or shining brightly. Many Acacia craft imitations of themselves, small illusory forests confusing unwanted grazers. It can also glow or mask itself entirely. It is said the older these trees become, the more complex their illusions Emryl's Shield Those with Emryl's Shield are immune to negative effects and/or damage from all heat magic and naturally occurring heat. Totally heatproof!

Anatomy

Murna Acacia is a thorny legume tree, growing larger in wetter locations. It stands out thanks to its signature spreading crown, umbrella like and flat. Leaves are compound, 6-22 pairs of leaflets to each leaf which are 1-4 mm long, smooth and fuzzy. Very distinct thorns protect its leaves, either straight and long or shorter and hooked. Its leaves are actually smaller than these imposing thorns. Murna Acacia flowers are white, cream or yellow and highly aromatic, clustered together into 1 cm diameter round heads. Prolific blooms of up to 400 flowers crowd onto each twig and are later followed by spirally twisted white pods, ranging from 8 to 22 cm long.

Original Ancestor	Lifespan
Acacia tortillas Umbrella Thorn Accia	Perennial
Expectancy	Height
200 years	16-65 ft 4-20 m

Coloration
While all variants have rosy white legumes and sap, further coloration is different between variants.

Prismatic	Solar	Arenaceous	Smoldering
rainbow patterns in trunk and leaves	stark white thorns	rough, sandy bark and glassy leaves	amber wood grains and marigold leaves

Habitat

Savannah Grassland Semi-Desert Desert Steppe Temperate Forest Shrubland Montane An ubiquitous and iconic tree of Alkelbulan, these adaptable trees can be found in Shamsi Desert, Arabiyyan Desert, Balkurtiz, Kna'an, Kemet, Parsa, Birit Narim, Gaarreen Ho'aa, KwaZulu, and especially Nyasi za Rangi. They grow best in areas with temperatures between 0-50 C (32-122 F) and rainfall ranging from 100-1000 mm (3.9-39.4 in) per year. It can grow on sand dunes, rocky scarps and valley bottoms but isn't tolerant of waterlogged soil. This is a very drought resistant species, including dry seasons lasting 1-12 months. It prefers alkaline soils but is capable of withstanding saline soils too. It does well in arid biomes thanks to its deep tap root, running as deep as 35 m (115 ft) in sandy soils, reaching water unavailable to other species. Even in shallow soil it can develop subsurface roots stretching out to more than twice the width of the crown. Older trees can also withstand frost and light grass fires.

Life Cycle

Angiosperm Monoecious Legume This Acacia is grown best from seed. Pods can be collected by shaking them from the canopy, a mature tree producing over 6000 pods, each carrying 8-16 seeds. Their seeds coats are very hard, only extracted by hand with the use of a mortar. These hardy seeds are viable for several years if kept cool and dry, Germination can be triggered by making cuts along its seed coat or by them in boiling water until the water cools. Murna Acacia grows slowly at first but quickens once its roots have reached a water source. Peculiarly, wild seeds germinate best after passing through the stomach of a Raqs Gazelle, these two species symbiotic. Mature acacia boom from April to December, mainly in autumn, its flowers yellowish and arranged densely into round clusters. The legumes develop into springy and curled, rosy-white pods.

Ecology

These trees are an integral part of its ecosystems, providing both food and shade. To deter overgrazing, long thorns guard their outermost leaves. However, there are more mutualistic species who have evolved alongside the Murna Acacia. Shamsi Camels have developed tough lips in order to bipass their thorns and Gazhaal al-Raqs eat fallen fruits, their digestive system helpful in germinating and dispersing its seeds. It is believed the joy magic in the fruit is meant to encourage desireable grazers to consume its fruit. There are also ants which live symbiotically with Murna Acacia, a stinging species which makes their nests in their hollow thorns, eating their nectar. This is another defense against over grazing, the ants swarming those feeding near their nests.

Uses

In the pastoral societies of Alkelbulan every part of this tree is used and cutting them down is considered taboo, the trees almost sacred. It is considered a symbol of perseverance. Flowers provide a source of quality honey and it's legumes are edible, invigorating those who eat it. Nilots will eat the immature seeds or make them into porridges. These legume pods are also useful as feed for animals, fed to lactating mammals to increase milk yield. They are more digestable if milled, a popular staple and street food in Alkelbulian markets--especially in the Gaarreen Ho'aa. Different parts of the tree have medicinal uses including its leaves, bark, seeds and red gum. Legumes might be given to those suffering from melancholy or chronic pain, as is or developped into concoctions using True Magic. Even the bark has been used to treat asthma. Tannins can be extracted from the outer bark while inner bark can be made into cordage. Locals make use of even the thorns too, used to barb fences, enclosures and livestock pens. The Soomaalida and Fulbe use acacia roots are used to construct nomadic huts and its dense, red wood makes for good charcoal and fuel wood. Murna Acacia wood can also be used for poles of huts and for tools, durable if water-seasoned. The tree will readily respout if coppiced, managed in this way for fuel in more forested biomes of Gaarreen Ho'aa. Other uses for the wood include furniture, wheels, fence posts, cages and pens. It is also the exclusive wood used by the Yehudim in constructing their mishkan.