| Shark tooth wattle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A. littorea flowers and foliage | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Clade: | Mimosoideae |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. littorea |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia littorea | |
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| 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 id 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, also known as golden grass wattle or grass wattle, is a grasslike shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and subgenus Alatae. It is native to the south west of Western Australia.
Acacia desertorum is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to western Australia.
Acacia latior 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 a small area of south western Australia and is listed as endangered according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
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.