Acacia s.l. as traditionally recognized was polyphyletic with respect to multiple other genera intermixed among their lineages, resulting in its recircumscription and the recognition of five genera (and possibly more, e.g. for A. muricata, A. skleroxyla, A. visco). The five currently recognized genera are: Acacia s.s. (commonly with phyllodes, Oceania), Acaciella (Americas), Mariosousa (Americas), Senegalia (commonly with prickles, Africa, Americas, Asia), and Vachellia (commonly with stipular spines & involucrate inflorescences; Africa, Americas, Asia). See Maslin et al. (2003), Miller & Seigler (2012), Kyalangalilwa et al. (2013).