| Shark tooth wattle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A. littorea flowers and foliage | |
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. littorea |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia littorea | |
 | |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia littorea, also known as the shark tooth wattle, [1] [2] [3] is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae.
The dense pungent shrub typically grows to a height of 0.5 to 3.0 metres (1.6 to 9.8 ft) and produces yellow flowers from August to November. [4] It has glabrous but prominently ribbed branchlets. The green, pungent and somewhat crowded phyllodes are ascending on the branchlets. They have an interesting obtriangular to obdeltate shape resembling a sharks tooth. The phyllodes are 7 to 17 millimetres (0.28 to 0.67 in) long and 5 to 15 mm (0.20 to 0.59 in) and sometimes larger. The simple inflorescences have globular heads containing 8 to 15 pale-yellow flowers. After flowering blackish to yellowish linear to curved seed pods that are around 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in length with a width of 2.5 to 3 mm (0.10 to 0.12 in). The pods contain shiny brown oblong seeds arranged longitudinally which are 2.5 to 3 mm (0.10 to 0.12 in) long. [5]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Bruce Maslin in 1978 as part of the work Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) – 8 A revision of the Uninerves – Triangulares, in part (the tetramerous species) published in the journal Nuytsia . [6]
The type specimen was collected by Bruce Maslin along the shoreline of Princess Royal Harbour near Albany in 1975. [5]
Several synonyms exist: Acacia dolabriformis, Acacia trapezoides, Acacia cuneata var. glabra, Acacia decipiens var. triangularis, Mimosa decipiens and Acacia praemorsa. [6]
The species is closely related to Acacia truncata . [5]
It is native to an area in the South West, Great Southern and Peel regions of Western Australia. [4] The bulk of the population is found from Busselton east to Bremer Bay. An isolated population is found on Rottnest Island. [5] A. littorea grows mostly on coastal dunes in deep sandy soils and in limestone area. [4] It is commonly found in heath land communities and can be a dominant species. [5]
A. littorea is commercially available in seed form [7] or as tubestock. [8] It prefers a sunny position and well-drained soils and suits a coastal garden. The species is drought- and frost-tolerant. It is fast-growing but short-lived and suitable for erosion control or as a windbreak. [1]
Acacia truncata, commonly known as the angle leaved wattle or west coast wattle, is a coastal shrub in the family Fabaceae, with a native distribution along the southwest coast of Western Australia. A specimen of this wattle was part of an early European botanical collection, perhaps the first from Australia.
Acacia applanata, commonly known as grass wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, grass-like shrub or subshrub with only a few phyllodes, continuous with the branchlets, and up to 4 racemes of spherical heads of 10 to 20, usually golden flowers, and curved, crust-like pods up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long.
Acacia desertorum is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to western Australia.
Acacia sibina is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae the is endemic to parts of western Australia.
Acacia chrysocephala is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae.
Acacia concolorans is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia nervosa, commonly known as rib wattleribbed wattle or perfumed wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae.
Acacia pachypoda is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia phaeocalyx is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia plautella is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to a small area along the coast of western Australia.
Acacia quadrisulcata is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia robiniae, commonly known as Robin's wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia simulans is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia sphenophylla is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to a small area in western Australia.
Acacia dissona is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of south western Australia.
Acacia donaldsonii is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemism in an area of south western Australia.
Acacia pharangites, commonly known as Wongan gully wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to the Wongan Hills of south western Australia and is listed as endangered according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Acacia speckii is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to a small area in central western Australia.
Acacia subsessilis is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of western Australia.
Acacia tetanophylla is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of south western Australia.