Acacia buxifolia

Box-leaf wattle
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. buxifolia
Binomial name
Acacia buxifolia A.Cunn. [1]
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
? Acacia brevifolia Lodd., G.Lodd. & W.Lodd. nom. inval., nom. nud.  ? Acacia brevifolia G.Lodd. ex G.Don Acacia buxifolia var. neglecta Maiden  ? Acacia neglectaMaiden & R.T.Baker Acacia papulaeformis Walp. nom. inval. Racosperma buxifolium(A.Cunn.) Pedley

Habit near Torrington, New South Wales

Acacia buxifolia, commonly known as box-leaf wattle, ^[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with narrowly ellipitic to oblong or egg-shaped phyllodes, cylindrical heads of bright yellow flowers, and straight or strongly curved, firmly papery to thinly leathery pods.

Description

Acacia buxifolia an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in) and has glabrous branchlets. Its phyllodes are narrowly elliptic to oblong or egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 10–45 mm (0.39–1.77 in) long, 2–11 mm (0.079–0.433 in) wide and green to glaucous. The flowers are arranged in spherical heads of 2 to 14 in racemes 5–80 mm (0.20–3.15 in) long in axils on a peduncle 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. Each head has 7 to 29 bright yellow flowers. Flowering occurs from July to November and the pods are usually firmly papery to thinly leathery, 30–70 mm (1.2–2.8 in) long and 4.5–7 mm (0.18–0.28 in) wide containing oblong to egg-shaped black seeds 4.0–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long with a club-shaped aril. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Taxonomy

Acacia buxifolia was first formally described in 1825 by the botanist Allan Cunningham in Barron Field's book, Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales, from specimens collected near the Macquarie River. ^{[5] [6]} The specific epithet (buxifolia) means 'box-tree-leaved'. ^[7] Two subspecies of A. buxifolia have been described, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Acacia buxifoliaA.Cunn. subsp. buxifolia ^[8] has phyllodes usually 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long and heads of 7 to 12 flowers. ^{[9] [10]}
• Acacia buxifolia subsp. pubifloraPedley ^[11] has phyllodes usually 15–45 mm (0.59–1.77 in) long and heads of 17 to 29 flowers. ^{[12] [13]}

Distribution and habitat

Box-leaf wattle grows in forest, woodland and heath, often on rocky outcrops. Subspecies buxifolia occurs in scattered locations from Stanthorpe in south-eastern Queensland, ^[10] in eastern New South Wales ^[9] and in north-eastern Victoria. ^[14] Subspecies pubiflora occurs in scattered places from near Tambo in Queensland to Tenterfield in northern New South Wales, and is mostly found near Emmaville in New South Wales. ^[13]

Use in horticulture

Acacia buxifolia is a hardy, winter-flowering ornamental that attracts birds and insects, although it should not be planted within 2 m (6 ft 7 in) of sewer mains. ^[15]

See also

• List of Acacia species

References

1. "Acacia buxifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
2. Kodela, Phillip G.; Harden, Gwen J. "Acacia buxifolia". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
3. Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia buxifolia". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
4. "Acacia buxifolia". World Wide Wattle. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
5. "Acacia buxifolia". APNI. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
6. Cunningham, Allan (1825). Field, Barron (ed.). Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales. London: John Murray. p. 344. Retrieved 27 May 2025– via Project Gutenberg Australia.
7. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 153. ISBN   9780958034180.
8. "Acacia buxifolia subsp. buxifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
9. Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia buxifolia A.Cunn. subsp. buxifolia". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
10. Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia buxifolia subsp. buxifolia". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
11. "Acacia buxifolia subsp. buxifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
12. Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia buxifolia A.Cunn. subsp. pubiflora". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
13. Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia buxifolia subsp. pubiflora". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
14. Entwisle, Timothy J.; Maslin, Bruce R.; Cowan, Richard S.; Court, Arthur B. "Acacia buxifolia subsp. buxifolia". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
15. "Acacia buxifolia Box-leaf Wattle". Plant Selector. Botanic Gardens of South Australia. Retrieved 25 July 2019.