Showy 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. decora |
Binomial name | |
Acacia decora | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms | |
Acacia decora is a plant native to eastern Australia. Common names include the western silver wattle and the showy wattle. The species name refers to the plant's decorative qualities.
The shrub typically grows to 1 to 4 m (3 ft 3 in to 13 ft 1 in) in height and has an erect to spreading habit. It has angled reddish to brown branchlets that are appressed-hairy when young and becoming glabrescent with age. Like most species of Acacia it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. It has variable foliage and the phyllodes are generally thin with a narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate or obovate shape. The phyllodes are 1.5 to 5 cm (0.59 to 1.97 in) in length and 2 to 7 mm (0.079 to 0.276 in) wide with a prominent midvein and obscure or faint lateral nerves. It blooms between April and October producing bright yellow flowers. The inflorescences are found in groups to 5 to 15 in axillary raceme with spherical flower-heads that have a diameter of 4.5 to 6 mm (0.18 to 0.24 in) and contain 15 to 30 bright yellow flowers. [2]
The species was first formally described in 1829 by the botanist Ludwig Reichenbach as part of the work Iconographia Botanica Exotica. It was reclassified as Racosperma decorum in 1987 by Leslie Pedley then transferred back to genus Acacia in 2014. There are many other synonyms for this species including Acacia decora var. decora, Acacia caleyi, Acacia podalyriifolia var. caleyi and Acacia buxifolia var. decora. [3] The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word decorus in reference to the plants graceful appearance. [4]
The shrub is found down the east coast of Australia extending from north Queensland down to Victoria. In New South Wales, showy wattle occurs west of the Great Dividing Range while in Queensland it extends to the coast, commonly seen in semi arid areas of the states of New South Wales and Victoria and throughout Queensland. [2] It is sometimes seen in wetter areas in dry sclerophyll forest. Its range extends from around Cooktown in the north down to the Warby Range of Victoria in the south growing in stony sandy soils as a part of Eucalyptus woodland communities. [4]
A. decora is a hardy species which can tolerate a wide range of conditions. It grows best in well drained soils and in a full sun to partly shady position. It can be grown from seed but must be pretreated by scarification or with boiling water. [4]
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.
Acacia myrtifolia, known colloquially as myrtle wattle, red stem wattle or red-stemmed wattle, is a species of Acacia native to coastal areas of southern and 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 brownii, commonly known as heath wattle, is an erect or spreading shrub which is endemic to eastern Australia.
Acacia lanigera, commonly known as woolly wattle or hairy wattle, is a tree species that is endemic south eastern Australia.
Acacia buxifolia, commonly known as box-leaf wattle, is shrub species that is endemic to eastern Australia.
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.
Acacia adoxa, commonly known as the grey-whorled wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to north-western Australia. It is a dense, low-lying shrub with linear, more or less cylindrical phyllodes in whorls of 6 to 10, heads of golden-yellow flowers, and flat, sticky pods.
Acacia asperulacea is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Lycopodiifoliae.
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 rossei, also known as Yellowdine wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia sphacelata is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia sclerophylla, commonly known as the hard-leaf wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves and is endemic to southern parts of Australia.
Acacia granitica commonly known as the granite wattle is a shrub in the family Fabaceae. Endemic to Australia, it occurs on the New England Tableland of New South Wales and southern Queensland. It is a species tolerant of poor drainage, frost and snow.
Acacia amoena, commonly known as boomerang wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shapely, erect or spreading shrub with usually lance-shaped to elliptic phyllodes, usually yellow or bright yellow flowers arranged in a raceme of 5 to 21 heads each with 6 to 12 flowers, and straight or curved pods 40–120 mm (1.6–4.7 in) long.
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 calamifolia, commonly known as wallowa or reed-leaf wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to south eastern parts of Australia.
Acacia falciformis, also commonly known as broad-leaved hickory, hickory wattle, mountain hickory, large-leaf wattle, tanning wattle and black wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to eastern Australia
Acacia simmonsiana, commonly known as Simmons wattle or desert manna wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae native to south eastern Australia.
Acacia elongata, also known as swamp wattle or slender wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to coastal areas of eastern Australia.