snowdrew2's Identifications

Dichrostachys cinerea, Sickle bush, Fabaceae. A thorny shrub forming thickets in the dry and arid zones of Sri Lanka. It is also found in other drier parts of Asia, including India, and Africa.

In Sri Lanka, this is the main food plant of the African Babul Blue butterfly, Azanus jesous gamra (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

Bark, leaves, roots and seeds have many uses in Ayurveda medicine. It is an abortifacient, diuretic, analgesic and laxative.