黑荆 hei jing

Racosperma mearnsii (De Wildeman) Pedley.

Trees, 9-15 m tall. Branchlets angulate, gray-white tomen­tose. Young leaves golden tomentose, mature leaves gray pu­bescent; rachis not angulate; pinnae 6-30 pairs, 0.5-5.5 cm, glands at rachis of pinna insertion and elsewhere; leaflets 10-68 pairs, dense, linear, 0.7-6 × 0.4-0.8(-1) mm, margin, abaxial surface, or sometimes both surfaces pubescent. Heads globose, 6-7 mm in diam., arranged in axillary racemes or terminal pani­cles; peduncles 7-10 mm; rachis yellow, densely tomentose. Flowers yellowish or white. Legume black, oblong, flat, 5-10 cm × 4-5 mm, slightly constricted between seeds, pubescent. Seeds black, shiny, ovoid. Fl. Jun, fr. Aug.

Cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yun­nan, Zhejiang [native to Australia].

This species is grown for its tannins and as a honey plant.