Acacia ligulata

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Umbrella wattle
Acacia ligulata habit.jpg
A. ligulata flowers
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Acacia
Species:
A. ligulata
Binomial name
Acacia ligulata
Acacia ligulataDistMap537.png
Occurrence data from AVH

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 (also spelt watarka).

Contents

Etymology and naming

The genus Acacia is derived from the Greek akakia, referring to sharp thorns. [1] The shape of the phyllodes named the species ligulata, meaning strap-like or with a small tongue in Latin. [2]

Common names include sandhill wattle, umbrella bush, marpoo, dune wattle, small coobah, [3] wirra, [4] and watarrka. The latter name (pronounced what-ARR-kah [5] ) is the Luritja word for the species, [6] and gives its name to the Aboriginal (Luritja and Arrernte [7] ) name for Kings Canyon, as well as the Watarrka National Park, in the Northern Territory. [6]

Description

Acacia ligulata grows as an erect or spreading shrub, 2 to 4 meters tall [8] and 3 meters across, [9] sometimes dome-shaped, [3] often branching from the ground. The bark is often grooved at the base, but is otherwise smooth. [2] Its branchlets are angular with yellowish ribs, often with hair. [10]

The phyllodes, appearing like leaves, are light to blue green, [2] usually linear-oblong, [3] slightly curved, [8] 3–10 cm long and 4-10mm wide, thick and hairless, and wrinkled during dry periods. They have a prominent yellowish mid-vein, [2] lateral veins not apparent. [11] The tip of the phyllode is obtuse with a mucro, [8] a small hard point, [12] pointing downward. [4] Two to four glands are found below the center of the phyllode and near the mucro. [10]

Yellow to orange globular flower heads of 5-6mm diameter, singular or 2 to 5 in short axillary racemes, [3] sit on sparsely pubescent peduncles 4-10mm long. [10] Each flower head consists of about 20 minute flowers. [3]

The seed pods, legumes, [10] are light brown and curved, [2] 5–10 cm long and 5-10mm wide, [3] constricted between the seeds and breaking easily into one-seeded segments. [9] The stalk of the seed pod is orange to red. [10] The seeds appear black and oval shaped, up to 3.5x3.5mm in size, situated longitudinal within the seed pod. [2]

Taxonomy

A. ligulata belongs to the A. bivenosa group of 12 species. [11] Previously considered a variety of A. salicina, differing by its rigid branches, undivided crown, and seed pod characteristics. [13] Earlier literature mentions A. williamsonii as a synonym, [14] other literature places the species in the family Mimosaceae. [3] [4] [9]

Distribution and habitat

A. ligulata is one of the most widespread species of Acacia in Australia, common to central and southern Australia, [15] mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn [4] in arid areas. [10]

Charles Sturt called the habitat ‘stupendous and almost insurmountable sand-ridges of a fiery red’. [16] This area of north-west New South Wales, the Sand Plain Mulga Shrublands, supports an open cover of shrubs and tussock grasses. [16]

A. ligulata is found on sand dunes, on the fringes of salt lakes, on floodplains, [17] in mulga and bluebush communities, in woodlands, [8] in mallee communities. [3]

Ecology

A. ligulata grows in dense shrub communities on sand dunes, otherwise singly scattered. Fast-growing, it stabilises sand dunes [3] and regenerates quickly after disturbance, such as overgrazing. [2] It is known for potential weediness due to rapid regrowth. [17]

It is found in the hottest and driest climates of Australia with rainfall of less than 200mm and survives light frost. [13] It is an indicative species in sand plain mulga shrublands [16] and was used in an emissions bioassay at Olympic Dam. [18]

Its roots are host to witchetty grub [11] and food for the larvae of the butterfly Nacaduba biocellata . [19] The phyllodes are eaten by cattle and often defoliated by rabbits around the lower part of the plant. Kangaroos [3] and livestock use the plants as shelter. [13] Herbivores grazing on the seedlings can severely limit regeneration. [20]

Reproduction and dispersal

A. ligulata seeds Acacia ligulata seeds.jpg
A. ligulata seeds

A. ligulata flowers during May to November, [2] [8] [21] depending on the region, odd flowers occurring throughout the year. Seeds are produced between November and January. [15] They have diaspores with fleshy appendages indicating dispersal by birds, including the red wattlebird, [22] and ants (myrmecochory). Ants can transport the seeds up to 180m and disperse it within an area of 3000m² around their nest. [23]

Uses

A. ligulata is used as a hedge [17] and windbreak, to stabilise sandy areas, for revegetation and erosion control, also in areas with salinity or alkaline conditions. It can be grown from cuttings and has been used as emergency stock fodder. [2]

Indigenous Australians have used the plant by mixing its ashes with the dried and powdered leaves of Duboisia hopwoodii to prepare a stimulant chewing mixture (pituri) for trading. Gum produced by this species was used for consumption, [3] and the seeds were roasted and ground to make damper. [12] Leaves and bark were used for medicinal purposes, [15] to treat colds, chest infections, and general illnesses. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Acacia cyclops, commonly known as coastal wattle, cyclops wattle, one-eyed wattle, red-eyed wattle, redwreath acacia, western coastal wattle, rooikrans, rooikrans acacia, is a coastal shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae. Native to Australia, it is distributed along the west coast of Western Australia as far north as Leeman, and along the south coast into South Australia. The Noongar peoples of Western Australia know the plant as wilyawa or woolya wah.

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

Acacia brachystachya, commonly known as umbrella mulga, turpentine mulga or false bowgada, is a shrub in the family Fabaceae. The species occurs in mulga and heath communities on sandhills and rocky ridges in all mainland states of Australia, except Victoria.

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

Acacia craspedocarpa, commonly known as hop mulga or the broad-leaved mulga, is a shrub or tree in the family Fabaceae native to central parts of western Australia.

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

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 that is endemic to arid areas in every mainland State except Victoria.

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

Acacia longifolia is a species of Acacia native to southeastern Australia, from the extreme southeast of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, eastern and southern Victoria, and southeastern South Australia. Common names for it include long-leaved wattle, acacia trinervis, aroma doble, golden wattle, coast wattle, sallow wattle and Sydney golden wattle. It is not listed as being a threatened species, and is considered invasive in Portugal, New Zealand and South Africa. In the southern region of Western Australia, it has become naturalised and has been classed as a weed by out-competing indigenous species. It is a tree that grows very quickly reaching 7–10 m in five to six years.

<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 ayersiana</i> Species of plant

Acacia ayersiana is a plant that grows in arid areas of Australia.

<i>Acacia bivenosa</i> Species of shrub

Acacia bivenosa, commonly known as two-nerved wattle, two-veined wattle or hill umbrella bush, is a species of Acacia found in northern 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 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 clelandii</i> Species of legume

Acacia clelandii, also known as umbrella mulga, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to arid parts of central Australia.

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

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.

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

Acacia ramulosa, commonly known as horse mulga or bowgada wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae endemic to arid areas of Australia.

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

Acacia rhodophloia, commonly known as minni ritchi or western red mulga, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to a large area of arid central western Australia. The Indigenous group the Kurrama peoples know the plant as mantaru.

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

Acacia sibirica, commonly known as bastard mulga or false witchetty bush, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is native to arid areas of Australia.

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

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.

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

Acacia calcicola is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is native to parts of central Australia. Common names for this species include; shrubby wattle, shrubby mulga, myall-gidgee, northern myall and grey myall. Indigenous Australians the Pitjantjatjara peoples know the tree as ikatuka, the Warlpiri know it as jirlarti and the Arrernte know it as irrakwetye.

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

Acacia gilesiana, commonly known as Gile's wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to arid parts of southern Australia.

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

Acacia helmsiana, commonly known as Helm's wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to arid areas of central and western Australia.

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

Acacia carneorum, also referred to as purple-wood wattle, needle wattle, dead finish or by its former scientific name, Acacia carnei, is a plant species in the genus Acacia.

References

  1. ↑ Allan, R., Woodgroup SA Inc. Retrieved June 2012
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Simmons, M. H. (1988). Acacias of Australia, vol. 2. Ringwood, Australia: Penguin Books Australia Ltd. p. 166.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cunningham, G. M., Mulham, W. E., Milthorpe, P. L., & Leigh, J. H. (1992). Plants of western New South Wales. Melbourne & Sydney, Australia: Inkata Press. p. 365.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Moore, P. (2005). A guide to plants of inland Australia. Sydney, Australia: New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd. p. 331.
  5. ↑ "Kings Canyon Watarrka - Better than Uluru?". Travel Outback Australia. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Watarrka". Central Art Aboriginal Art Store (in Indonesian). Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Kings Canyon Tourism". Discover Central Australia. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Harden, G. J.. (2002). Flora of New South Wales.Vol.2. Sydney, Australia: University of New South Wale Press Ltd. p. 450.
  9. 1 2 3 Rotherham, E. R., Briggs, B. G., Blaxell, D. F., & Carolin, R. C. (1975). Australian Flora in colour – Flowers and plants of New South Wales and southern Queensland. Sydney, Australia: A. H. & A. W. Reed Pty Ltd. p. 150.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tame, T. (1992). Acacias of southeast Australia. Kenthurst, Australia: Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd. p. 136.
  11. 1 2 3 The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. PlantNET - The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia. Retrieved June 2012
  12. 1 2 Greig, D. (2002). A photographic guide to wildflowers of outback Australia. Sydney, Australia: New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd. p. 71.
  13. 1 2 3 Baumer, M., (1983). EMASAR phase II. Notes on trees and shrubs in arid and semi-arid regions. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p. 20.
  14. ↑ World Wide Wattle. Retrieved June 2012
  15. 1 2 3 World Wide Wattle. Retrieved June 2012
  16. 1 2 3 Keith, D. (2004). Ocean shores to desert dunes – The native vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT. Hurstville NSW: Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW). pp. 294-295.
  17. 1 2 3 Florabank. Retrieved June 2012
  18. ↑ Read, J. L., Kovac, K-J., & Fatchen, T. J., (2002), ‘Biohyets’: A holistic method for demonstrating the extent and severity of environmental impacts. p. 7.
  19. ↑ Government of South Australia, Department of Environment and Natural Resources. eFloraSA. Retrieved June 2012 Archived 2011-04-06 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Auld, T. D. (1995). The impact of herbivores on regeneration in four trees from arid Australia. The Rangeland Journal, 17(2), pp. 213-227.
  21. ↑ Western Australian Herbarium (1998). FloraBase—the Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation. Retrieved June 2012
  22. ↑ Davidson, D. W. & Morton, S. R., (1984). Dispersal Adaptations of Some Acacia Species in the Australian Arid Zone. Ecology, 65(4). pp. 1038-1051.
  23. ↑ Whitney, K. D., (2002). Dispersal for distance? Acacia ligulata seeds and meat ants Iridomyrmex viridiaeneu. Austral Ecology, 27. pp. 589-595.
  24. ↑ Palombo, E. W., & Semple, S. J., (2001). Antibacterial activity of traditional Australian medicinal plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 77, p. 153.
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