Acacia rigidula
Family: Fabaceae
Plant Description: Thorny shrub or small tree with many stems forming the base, attaining a height of1-3 m. Leaves alternate, bipinnately compound with one or two pairs of pinnae (usually one) and two to four pairs of leaflets (rarely five per pinnae leaflets elliptic to oblong).
Plant Trivia: Leaves contain 15% crude protein.
Field Identification: distinctly paired thorns forming a “V” on stem.
Occurrence: Chaparral in southern Trans-Pecos infrequent in Edwards Plateau and northern Rio Grande Plains, and rare in southern Rio Grande Plains, common at Lake CC SP.
Bloom Period: February -July
Plant Use: Seeds are eaten by bobwhite quail. Leaves and beans are browsed by white-tailed deer; flowers are source of nectar for honey.
stxflora 