| Yellow wattle | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. flavescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia flavescens | |
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia flavescens, also known as the red wattle, yellow wattle [1] or primrose ball wattle, [2] is a tree in the genus Acacia native to eastern Australia. [3]
The tree typically grows to a height of 6 to 20 metres (20 to 66 ft) and has rough, furrowed and shaggy looking brown bark. [4] The angular branchlets have a yellowish tinge explaining the common name. [1] The evergreen phyllodes have a narrowly elliptic to lanceolate shape and are 9 to 30 centimetres (4 to 12 in) in length and 2 to 6 cm (0.8 to 2.4 in) wide. [4]
When it blooms it produces axillary inflorescences with globular flowerheads with a diameter of 4.5 to 6 mm (0.18 to 0.24 in) containing 30 to 60 cream coloured flowers. [4] Following flowering it forms glabrous flat seed pods that are up to 12 cm (5 in) in length with a width of 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1.0 in). The dull black seeds within have an elliptic shape and are 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 in) in length. [4]
The type specimen was collected by Allan Cunningham in 1819 from along the Queensland coast [5] during his voyage aboard HMS Mermaid. The species was first formally described in 1842 by George Bentham as part of William Jackson Hooker's work Notes on Mimoseae, with a synopsis of species as published in the London Journal of Botany. It was reclassified in 1987 as Racosperma flavescens by Leslie Pedley then transferred back to genus Acacia in 2006. [6]
Other synonyms include; Acacia flavescens var. typica and Acacia flavescens var. nobilis as described by Karel Domin and Acacia flavescens Benth. var. flavescens. [5]
A. flavescens resembles and is closely related to Acacia leptoloba . [4]
The tree is found through much of eastern Queensland [6] mostly along areas near the coast extending from around Cape York in the north down to Brisbane in the south where it is part of Eucalypt forest and woodland communities growing in sandy soils [4] and along the margins of monsoon and rainforest communities. [5] It typically grows in altitudes ranging from sea level to 1,000 metres (3,281 ft). [5]
The species is sold commercially as seedlings [2] or in seed form. [7] Seeds need to be pre-treated by scarifying or soaking in hot water prior to planting. The tree grows well in a sunny location in a wide range of soils including poor soils. It is fast growing and can shoot from root suckers making it a possible weed problem. It has a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria found on the root nodules. The wood can be used as a fuel and the plant grown for soil stabilization or erosion control. The bark contains 10 to 26% tannin. The bark is an astringent and can be used externally to treat wounds or internally to treat diarrhoea and dysentery. [8]
Acacia complanata, known as long-pod wattle and flat-stemmed wattle, is a perennial tree native to eastern Australia.
Acacia pendula, commonly known as the weeping myall, true myall, myall, silver-leaf boree, boree, and nilyah, is a species of wattle, which is native to Australia. The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that common names included "Weeping Myall", "True Myall", and Indigenous people of western areas of New South Wales and Queensland referred to the plant as "Boree" and "Balaar".
Acacia elata the cedar wattle or mountain cedar wattle is a tree found in eastern Australia.
Acacia holosericea is a shrub native to tropical and inland northern Australia. It is commonly known as soapbush wattle, soapbush, strap wattle, candelabra wattle, silver wattle and silky wattle.
Acacia bakeri, known as the marblewood, white marblewood, Baker's wattle or scrub wattle, is one of the largest of all acacias, growing to 40 m (130 ft) tall. It is a long-lived climax rainforest tree from eastern Australia. Unlike most acacias, fire is not required for seed germination. This tree is considered vulnerable to extinction. Its former habitat is lowland sub tropical rainforest which has been mostly cleared in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Acacia prominens is a shrub or tree in the genus Acacia native to New South Wales, Australia.
Acacia tumida, known colloquially as pindan wattle, spear wattle or wongai, is a species of Acacia native to northern and western Australia.
Acacia leptocarpa, commonly known as north coast wattle, is a shrub or small tree native to New Guinea and coastal regions of northern Australia.
Acacia amblygona, commonly known as fan wattle or fan leaf wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to Australia.
Acacia iteaphylla, commonly known as Flinders Range wattle, Port Lincoln wattle, winter wattle and willow-leaved wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to South Australia.
Acacia microbotrya, commonly known as manna wattle or gum wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to Western Australia.
Acacia urophylla, commonly known as pointed leaved acacia, tall-leaved acacia, veined wattle or net-leaved wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia sericata is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic across northern Australia.
Acacia shirleyi, known colloquially as lancewood, is a species of Acacia native to Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. It grows as a tree to 15 metres (49 ft) high, with dark grey or black stringy bark and blue-grey foliage. The yellow flowers appear from March to July. It grows in dry scrub, open forest or mixed savannah woodland. Indigenous people used the wood as fuel and to make hunting spears. Cattle can eat the foliage as fodder.
Acacia rubida, commonly known as red stem wattle, red stemmed wattle or red leaved wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to parts of eastern Australia.
Acacia conferta, commonly known as crowded-leaf wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to eastern Australia.
Acacia disparrima, also commonly known as southern salwood, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to north eastern Australia.
Acacia doratoxylon, commonly known as currawang, lancewood, spearwood or coast myall, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to eastern and south eastern Australia.
Acacia polystachya is a tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to north eastern Australia.
Acacia excelsa, also known as ironwood, rosewood, bunkerman and doodlallie is a tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to inland parts of north-eastern Australia. In the Gamilaraay language it is known as dhan, gayan or gan.