Acacia lineata

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Acacia lineata
Acacia lineata.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Acacia
Species:
A. lineata
Binomial name
Acacia lineata
Acacia lineataDistMap542.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Acacia lineataA.Cunn. ex G.Don, commonly known as streaked wattle or narrow lined-leaved wattle, occurs naturally inland eastern Australia. The genus Acacia is the largest genus of flowering plants in Australia, containing around 1000 species throughout a diverse range of environments from coast to desert. [2]

Contents

The word Acacia is thought to have been derived from a Greek word for sharpen, and lineata from a Latin word meaning marked by fine parallel lines. [2]

Currently A. lineata is not considered rare or endangered. It occurs in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria where it is considered as uncommon. [3] [4]

Description

Acacia lineata grows into a bushy, low spreading shrub 0.5-2m high and 1-2.5m wide. Branchlets are round, hairy and resinous. It is a perennial. [5] [6] [7]

As is common in many Acacias, the leaves of A. lineata are not true leaves, but a modified leaf stem known as a phyllode. The phyllodes of A. lineata are dark green, sparsely to densely hairy, often sticky, slightly clustered, tough and erect; ending in a small point 0.7-2.5 cm long to 1-3mm wide. Margins are thick, there is a visible vein running lengthwise and a small gland near the base. [5] [3] [6] [7]

The inflorescence is a bright yellow ball 4-6mm in diameter, containing 10-16 flowers on a slim stalk 2.5-10mm long (singly or in pairs), growing out from the base of the phyllodes. [5] [6] [7]

The seed pod or legumes are curved and can be flat or twisted, 2–6 cm long and 2-4mm wide, turning from green to a dark brown when mature and papery in texture. They are slightly hairy and sticky. [5] [6] [8] [7]

Seeds are greyish/black, 3 to 5mm long, oblong shaped and spaced length-ways within the legume; with flattened sections separated each seed from another. The seed-terminal is short, folded and widens into a pale aril. [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

A. lineata belongs to the Family Fabaceae also called the legume or pea family, in the Clade Mimosoidae. The following species are considered conspecific with A. lineata; A. imbricata, A. flexifolia, A. runciformis and A. dasyphylla. [7] [9]

Distribution and habitat

A. lineata has a sporadic distribution. It occurs in central to western New South Wales. It has been noted to grow around the Killara Road area of the Narrandera Rangers, and throughout the mallee areas north-east of Barellan. [10]

It also known to occur in south-east Queensland, north-west Mallee areas of Victoria and can be seen in south-east South Australia; with known locations including the Yorke Peninsula region and Murray region. [11]

A. lineata grows in a variety of habitats such as sclerophyll forest and woodland, but mostly occurs in mallee communities. [8]

Ecology

A. lineata can grow in alkaline, sandy, or gravely soils. [7]

Having phyllodes instead of leaves help A. lineate to survive in dry semi-arid environments, by reducing water loss. The phyllodes of A. lineatea are small, point up and are slightly hairy; adaptations that further reduce water loss. [12] [13]

Acacias are able to fix nitrogen in the soil via a host bacteria that live on the roots called rhizobia, which aids in the growth of other plant species. [14]

Reproduction and dispersal

A. lineata flowers appear from July to October depending on the region, with seeds maturing over summer. [6]

The pale aril of the A. lineata seeds, suggests dispersal by ants. [15]

Cultivation and uses

A. lineata is planted as an ornamental shrub in parks and along roadsides. It prefers temperate regions, is moderately drought and frost tolerant, and will grow from a seed or cutting. [6] Acacias are a good source of pollen; sheltered nesting habitat for birds and seeds which are eaten by birds. [16]

Indigenous Australians use many species of Acacia for a diverse range of purposes. Seeds and roots are a good source of food. Wood is used for fire, tools, shelters etc. Acacias provide habitat which attracts other foods (birds, kangaroos) and they are also used as a seasonal indicator. [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Acacia cultriformis</i> Species of legume

Acacia cultriformis, known as the knife-leaf wattle, dogtooth wattle, half-moon wattle or golden-glow wattle, is a perennial tree or shrub of the genus Acacia native to Australia. It is widely cultivated, and has been found to have naturalised in Asia, Africa, North America, New Zealand and South America. A. cultriformis grows to a height of about 4 m (13 ft) and has triangle-shaped phyllodes. The yellow flowers appear from August to November in its natural range. Its attractive foliage and bright flowers make it a popular garden plant.

<i>Acacia pycnantha</i> Golden wattle of southeastern Australia

Acacia pycnantha, most commonly known as the golden wattle, is a tree of the family Fabaceae native to southeastern Australia. It grows to a height of 8 m (26 ft) and has phyllodes instead of true leaves. Sickle-shaped, these are between 9 and 15 cm long, and 1–3.5 cm wide. The profuse fragrant, golden flowers appear in late winter and spring, followed by long seed pods. Plants are cross-pollinated by several species of honeyeater and thornbill, which visit nectaries on the phyllodes and brush against flowers, transferring pollen between them. An understorey plant in eucalyptus forest, it is found from southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, through Victoria and into southeastern South Australia.

<i>Acacia ligulata</i> Species of plant

Acacia ligulata is a species of Acacia, a dense shrub widespread in all states of mainland Australia. It is not considered rare or endangered. Its common names include sandhill wattle, umbrella bush, marpoo, dune wattle, small coobah, wirra, and watarrka.

<i>Acacia acanthoclada</i> Species of plant

Acacia acanthoclada, commonly known as harrow wattle, is a low, divaricate, highly branched and spinescent shrub that is endemic to Australia.

<i>Acacia colei</i> Species of legume

Acacia colei is a perennial bush or tree native to northern Australia and southern Asia. A common name for it is Cole's wattle. Acacia colei blooms from May through September and the flowers are bright yellow.

<i>Acacia acinacea</i> Species of plant

Acacia acinacea, commonly known as gold dust wattle, is a flowering shrub. It is native to south eastern Australia and lives for 15 years on average. This wattle species is tolerant of drought and frost. It is also known as wreath wattle or round-leaf wattle.

<i>Acacia stenophylla</i> Species of tree

Acacia stenophylla is a species of Acacia commonly referred to as the shoestring acacia. It is an evergreen tree in the family Fabaceae native to Australia. It is not considered rare or endangered.

<i>Acacia verticillata</i> Species of legume

Acacia verticillata is a perennial shrub to small tree native to south eastern Australia.

<i>Acacia pravissima</i> Species of legume

Acacia pravissima, commonly known as Ovens wattle, Oven wattle, wedge-leaved wattle and Tumut wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is an evergreen shrub native to Victoria, the South West Slopes and Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia.

<i>Acacia gunnii</i> Species of plant

Acacia gunnii, commonly known as ploughshare wattle or dog's tooth wattle, is a woody shrub which is endemic to south-eastern Australia found in dry heaths and woodlands. It ranges from Queensland, then New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, down to Tasmania. Acacia gunnii grows to up to 1 metre high and has prickly phyllodes which are 4 to 15 mm long. The cream to pale yellow globular flowerheads appear singly in the axils of the phyllodes in June to October, followed by curved or coiled seed pods which are 40 mm long and 4 to 5 mm wide. Acacia gunnii grows up to 1 meter tall and has prickly phyllodes which are 4 to 15mm in length with cream to pale-yellow globular flower heads appearing in phyllode axils in June through to October, followed by curved or coiled seed pods which are 40mm long and 4 to 5 mm wide. The species was first formally described by English botanist George Bentham in the London Journal of Botany in 1842. It occurs in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, and Queensland.

<i>Acacia rigens</i> Species of plant

Acacia rigens, commonly known as nealie, is an erect or spreading shrub or small tree that is endemic to Australia. Other common names include needle wattle, needlebush acacia, nealia and nilyah.

<i>Acacia notabilis</i> Species of legume

Acacia notabilis, known colloquially as mallee golden wattle, Flinders wattle or stiff golden wattle, is a species of Acacia native to Australia.

<i>Acacia burkittii</i> Species of legume

Acacia burkittii is a species of wattle endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and western New South Wales, where it is found in arid zones, and is a perennial shrub in the family Fabaceae. Common names for it include Burkitt's wattle, fine leaf jam, gunderbluey, pin bush and sandhill wattle. It has also been introduced into India. Previously this species was referred to as Acacia acuminata subsp. burkittii, but is now considered to be a separate species. Grows in mallee, eucalypt and mulga woodland or shrubland, often on sandhills.

<i>Acacia cana</i> Species of legume

Acacia cana, or commonly named as boree or the cabbage-tree wattle or broad-leaved nealie, is part of the family Fabaceae and sub-family Mimosoideae. It is a dense shrub- tree that can grow to 6 metres (20 ft) high and is a perennial plant meaning it has long life span and doesn’t necessary produce a high amount of seed. The cabbage-tree wattle heavily flowers from August till October and relies on animals and insects for pollination and dispersal of seeds. This least concern acacia species is found in the western plains of New South Wales and Central Queensland the habitats of these areas are found to be sandy soils and gibber plains.

<i>Acacia colletioides</i> Species of legume

Acacia colletioides, commonly known as wait-a-while, pin bush and spine bush, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is native to Australia.

<i>Acacia oswaldii</i> Species of plant

Acacia oswaldii, commonly known as boree, umbrella wattle, umbrella bush, whyacka, middia, miljee, nella and curly yarran, is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves.

<i>Acacia trineura</i> Species of legume

Acacia trineura, known colloquially as three-nerve wattle or three nerved wattle or green wattle, is a species of Acacia native to south eastern Australia.

<i>Acacia wilhelmiana</i> Species of plant

Acacia wilhelmiana, commonly known as dwarf nealie, Wilhelmi’s wattle and mist wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves native to the mallee region of central and eastern Australia.

<i>Acacia doratoxylon</i> Species of plant

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.

<i>Acacia subporosa</i> Species of legume

Acacia subporosa, also commonly known as river wattle, bower wattle, narrow-leaf bower wattle and sticky bower wattle, is a tree or shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of south eastern Australia. It is considered to be rare in Victoria

References

  1. "Acacia lineata". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  2. 1 2 "Wattles, Genus Acacia". Australian National Botanical Gardens. Australian National Botanical Gardens. 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Flora of Victoria, Acacia lineata". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. "Acacia lineata". Electronic Flora of South Australia Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Simmons, M (1988). Acacias of Australia (2nd ed.). Victoria: Penguin Books Australia Ltd.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Growing Natives". Australian National Botanical Gardens. 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Orchard, A. E; Wilson, A. J, eds. (2001). Flora of Australia. Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 92, 93, 97, 99, 100, 102, 357, 348, 409, 589, 590, 591, 640.
  8. 1 2 Kodela, P.G (2002). "New South Wales flora online". PlantNet. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  9. "Acacia lineata". World Wide Web. 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  10. Whiting, E (2009). Wildflowers of the Narrandera and Cocoparra Ranges. Albury: Specialty Press.
  11. "Electronic flora of South Australia species fact sheet". Government of South Australia, department of environment and water. 2002. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  12. "Plants of the Mallee Shrublands" (PDF). Australian National Botanic Gardens, learning resources. 2000. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  13. Dorken, V.M; Ladd, P.G; Parsons, R.F (2020). "Anatomical aspects of xeromorphy in arid-adapted plants". Australian Journal of Botany. 68: 245–266.
  14. "Rhizobia", Wikipedia, 2020-09-02, retrieved 2020-10-21
  15. Davidson, D.W; Morton, S.R (1984). "Dispersal Adaptations of Some Acacia Species in Australian Arid Zone". Wiley. 64: 1038–1051.
  16. Bennetts, L; Birmingham, E (2008). "Adaptable Acacias". Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  17. "Bush Food". Wariapendi Nursery. 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.