Family name: Fabaceae
Scientific name: Vachellia xanthophloea
Authority: (Benth.) P. J.H. Hurter
Zulu names: umkhanyakude, umhlosinga, umdlovune
Short description: V. xanthophloea is a tree with a smooth and powdery greenish-yellow bark, straight thorns on the branches, compound leaves, clustered pale cream flowers, and fruits in the form of pods with green seeds.
Meaning
The Zulu name “umkhanyakude” means “the one who shines bright from a distance“.
The plant gets the name umkhanyakude because it is used to make a person striking or beguiling.
The bark is used to make an infusion that is administered as a bathing agent. The infusion is often used by people before they go for an interview