Acacia estrophiolata

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Southern ironwood
Acacia estrophiolata habit.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. estrophiolata
Binomial name
Acacia estrophiolata
Acacia estrophiolataDistMap336.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]

Racosperma estrophiolatum(F.Muell.) Pedley

Bark Acacia-estrophiolata-bark2.jpg
Bark
Foliage Acacia-estrophiolata-foliage.jpg
Foliage

Acacia estrophiolata, commonly known as ironwood, southern ironwood, [2] desert ironwood [3] or utjanypa, [4] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Central Australia. It is a graceful, glabrous tree with linear to very narrowly elliptic phyllodes, spherical heads of cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers, and firmly papery, flat pods.

Contents

Description

Acacia estrophiolata is a graceful, glabrous tree that typically grows to a height of 4–16 m (13–52 ft) and has pendulous branchlets when mature. Its phyllodes are linear to very narrowly elliptic, straight to slightly curved, 40–110 mm (1.6–4.3 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) wide, thinly leathery pale green and glabrous with 3 or 4 main veins and a gland 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) above the base of the phyllode. Its flowers are borne in one or two spherical heads in axils on a peduncle 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long. The heads are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) in diameter with 30 to 35 densely clustered, cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers. [2] [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

Acacia estrophiolata was first formally described in 1882 by Ferdinand von Mueller in his Southern Science Record from specimens collected near the Finke River by Hermann Kempe. [8] [9]

It is closely related to Acacia excelsa and more distantly related to Acacia dolichophylla . [5]

Distribution and habitat

This species of wattle commonly grows on sandy alluvial flats as scattered trees, but also in tall open shrubland and open woodland. [2] It is found in the Central Ranges, Finke, Great Victoria Desert and Stony Plains bioregions of South Australia, [4] southern parts of the Northern Territory [7] and the Central Ranges, Gascoyne, Great Sandy Desert and Tanami bioregions of Western Australia. [3] [5]

Uses

Food

Traditionally, Aboriginal Australians would use the gum from the tree as a sweet bushtucker treat. Its name in the Arrernte language of Central Australia is Ngkwarle athenge arlperle. It is still sometimes eaten today. The gum is snapped off the branches, either clear or red. It is then ground and mixed with a little water, then left to set again to a chewable gum, and eaten with a small stick.[ citation needed ]

Forage

The tree makes good forage for livestock. [10] The seeds are edible and are 28.9% protein. [11]

Traditional medicine

Parts of the tree are used topically to treat skin problems such as burns, cuts, scabies, sores and it is also used for treating major wounds. It is used as a lotion to treat eye problems. [12] [13]

Wood

The wood is very hard and it is good for making posts for fences. [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Acacia estrophiolata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Cowan, Richard S.; Maslin, Bruce R. Kodela, Phillip G.; Orchard, Anthony E. (eds.). "Acacia estrophiolata". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Acacia estrophiolata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. 1 2 "Acacia estrophiolata (Leguminosae) Utjanypa". Seeds of South Australia. Government of South Australia . Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 "Acacia estrophiolata". WorldWideWattle. CSIRO . Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Acacia estrophiolata". Australian Biological Resources Study. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Acacia estrophiolata". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Acacia estrophiolata". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  9. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1882). "Definitions of some new Australian plants [continued.]". Southern Science Record. 2 (7): 150–151. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Acacia estrophiolata F. Muell". FAO. 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008.
  11. ↑ "Food Standards Australia New Zealand". 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  12. ↑ Dayalan Devanesed. "Traditional Aboriginal medicine practices in the Northern Territory" (PDF). Government of Northern Territory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-08. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-08. Retrieved 2007-05-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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