Strap 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. holosericea |
Binomial name | |
Acacia holosericea | |
Occurrence data from AVH |
Acacia holosericea is a shrub native to tropical and inland northern Australia. It is commonly known as soapbush wattle, soapbush, [2] strap wattle, candelabra wattle, [3] silver wattle [3] and silky wattle. [4]
The shrub has a spreading habit and typically grows to a height of 3 m (9.8 ft) and a width of 4 m (13 ft). [5] The large grey-green phyllodes have an ovate-lanceolate shape with a length of 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 in) and a width of 2 to 9 cm (0.8 to 3.5 in) and are covered with white silky hairs, with three to four prominent veins. The flowers are rod-like and bright yellow, 3–5 cm long. The thinly crustaceous seed pods that form after flowering are tightly irregularly coiled and have a width of 2.5 to 4 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in). [3] The pods are 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2.0 in) in length and twisted and curled. [6] The shiny dark brown seeds are arranged longitudinally in the pods and have an obloid-ellipsoid shape and are 3 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) in length with a bright yellow aril. [3] The seed is edible. [7] [8]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Allan Cunningham in 1832 as part of George Don's work A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. It was reclassified as Racosperma holosericeum in 1987 by Leslie Pedley then transferred back to genus Acacia in 2006. Other synonyms include; Acacia holosericea var. glabrata, Acacia holosericea var. multispirea and Acacia mangium var. holosericea. [9] The type specimen was collected by Allan Cunninham in 1819 near Port Keats on the edge of the Cambridge Gulf. [4]
The shrub is found in northern parts of Australia in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. [5] The range of the bulk of the population extends from around near Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia to the east through the top end of the Northern Territory as far as Rockhampton in eastern Queensland. Smaller populations are found in arid regions of the Pilbara in the Hamersley Range, in central parts of the Northern Territory and in southwestern Queensland. It is found in and around ephemeral watercourses growing in gravelly sand or loamy soils. [3]
A. holosericea is available for cultivation by seed, although the seeds must be scarified prior to planting. It grows quickly and well in a sunny, reasonably well drained position in most soil types. It is suitable as a feature plant or as a hedge or screen plant. It has attractive foliage and fruit and can be grown in tropical areas. [5]
Indigenous Australians used the plant as a fish poison. [4] The seeds of the plant are known to be edible. [7]
Acacia translucens, commonly known as poverty bush, is a shrub that is endemic to a large area of north western Australia.
Acacia murrayana is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It has numerous common names, including sandplain wattle, Murray's wattle, fire wattle, colony wattle and powder bark wattle, and is endemic to arid areas in every mainland state except Victoria.
Acacia colei is a perennial bush or tree native to northern Australia. A common name for it is Cole's wattle. Acacia colei blooms from May through September and the flowers are bright yellow.
Acacia fimbriata, commonly known as the fringed wattle, Brisbane golden wattle, or just the Brisbane wattle, is a species of Acacia that is native to much of the east coast of Australia. It is one of the floral emblems of the city of Brisbane, Queensland.
Acacia bivenosa, commonly known as two-nerved wattle, two-veined wattle or hill umbrella bush, is a species of Acacia found in northern 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 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 ancistrocarpa, commonly known as Fitzroy wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. The shrub is also known as fish hook wattle, pindan wattle and shiny leaved wattle.
Acacia aptaneura, commonly known as slender mulga, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is native to central and western parts of Australia.
Acacia elachantha is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is native to arid parts of central and northern Australia.
Acacia hammondii, also known as Hammond's wattle, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native across northern Australia.
Acacia hilliana, commonly known as Hill's tabletop wattle but also known as sandhill wattle and Hilltop wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is native to northern Australia.
Acacia neurocarpa is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to northern Australia.
Acacia orthocarpa, also commonly known as Pilbara weeping wattle, needle-leaf wattle or straight-podded wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to tropical parts of northern Australia. The indigenous Nyangumarta peoples know it as yartupu.
Acacia stipuligera is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is native to arid and tropical parts of northern Australia.
Acacia tenuissima, commonly known as narrow-leaved wattle, broom wattle, minyana, slender mulga or slender wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae endemic to temperate and tropical areas of Australia. Indigenous Australians the Kurrama peoples know the plant as Janangungu and the Banyjima know it as Murruthurru.
Acacia dictyophleba, also known as the sandhill wattle, waxy wattle, feather veined wattle, and spear tree, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae, found in Australia. The Nyangumarta peoples know the plant as Langkur or Lungkun; the Thalanyji know it as Jabandi; and the Pintupi know it as mulyati.
Acacia melleodora, commonly known as scented wax wattle, waxy wattle, honey wattle or honey scented wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to arid parts of central 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.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)