Acacia nilotica Identity & Plant Part
The botanical entity is Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile, family Fabaceae, called babul or Egyptian acacia. Current databases move the species to Vachellia nilotica, but trade and the master data keep the Acacia name. The part used in this acacia extract is the bark; gum, pods, leaves and seeds are not part of the product.
The word acacia causes frequent confusion. Gum arabic, also called acacia gum, is a dried exudate from other trees, chiefly Senegalia senegal, and is a different material with different behavior in water. This bark extract is also not Acacia catechu, whose heartwood gives catechu. Babul bark is rich in condensed tannins, which is why it has a long history in tanning.












