| Zig-zag wattle | |
|---|---|
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. merinthophora |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia merinthophora | |
 | |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia merinthophora, also known as zig-zag wattle, [1] is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to western Australia.
The openly branched to weeping tree or shrub typically grows to a height of 1.5 to 4 metres (5 to 13 ft). [2] It has pendulous, flexuose and ribbed branchlets that are sericeous between the ribs. Like most species of Acacia it has phyllodes rather than true leaves . The sessile phyllodes are strongly incurved with a quadrangular cross-section. The yellow-green glabrous phyllodes have a length of 7 to 25 cm (2.8 to 9.8 in) with a width of around 1 mm (0.039 in) and have four main nerves. [3] It flowers from May to September producing yellow flowers. [2] The simple inflorescences are found singly or in groups of two or three in the axils. The subsessile flower-heads have an obloid to shortly cylindrical shape with a length of 6 to 10 mm (0.24 to 0.39 in) and a diameter of 5 to 10 mm (0.20 to 0.39 in) and are sub-densely pack with golden coloured flowers. The firmly chartaceous seed pods that form after flowering have a straight and linear shape that are constricted between the seeds. the length of the pods are up to 13 cm (5.1 in) and a width of 2 to 2.5 mm (0.079 to 0.098 in) and are antrorsely strigulose with broad yellow margins. The seeds inside the pods are arranged longitudinally. The shiny mottled brown seeds have a peripheral line that is a darker brown and an oblong to elliptic shape with a length of 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in) and a terminal creamy yellow aril. [3]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Ernst Georg Pritzel in 1904 as part of the work by Pritzel and Ludwig Diels, Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae occidentalis. Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Pflanzen Westaustraliens, ihrer Verbreitung und ihrer Lebensverhaltnisse as published in the journal Botanische Jahrbucher fur Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. It was reclassified as Racosperma merinthophorum by Leslie Pedley in 2003 then transferred back into genus Acacia in 2006. [4] The specific epithet is derived from the Greek language from the words merinthos meaning cord or string and phoreo meaning carry or wear in reference to the long thin shape of the phyllodes. [1]
It is native to Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia from around Koorda in the north to Coolgardie in the east and Narrogin in the west where it is found in low-lying areas, on hillsides and sandplains growing in rocky sandy soils often around granite outcrops [2] where it is a part of shrubland communities. [3]
Acacia xiphophylla, commonly known as snakewood or snake-wood, is a tree in the family Fabaceae that is endemic to Western Australia. The indigenous group the Martuthunira, Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi peoples know it as marrawa, the Kariyarra know it as puluru and the Jiwarli know it as pukarti.
Acacia enterocarpa, commonly known as jumping jack wattle, is a shrub species that is endemic to eastern Australia.
Acacia dictyoneura is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves native to the south coast of Western Australia.
Acacia drepanocarpa is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae native to northern Australia.
Acacia gloeotricha is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to north western Australia.
Acacia jibberdingensis, also known as Jibberding wattle or willow-leafed wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia multispicata, commonly known as spiked wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia oncinocarpa is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to northern Australia.
Acacia thomsonii, commonly known as Thomson's wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that native to parts of northern Australia.
Acacia trachycarpa, commonly known as minni ritchi, curly-bark tree, sweet-scented minni ritchi or Pilbara minni ritchi, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to arid and semi-arid areas of Western Australia.
Acacia basedowii, commonly known as Basedow's wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to arid parts of central Australia.
Acacia blaxellii, also known as Blaxell's wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia dentifera, commonly known as tooth-bearing acacia, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia forrestiana, commonly known as Forrest's wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to Western Australia. The species was listed as vulnerable by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in 2008.
Acacia inamabilis is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to Western Australia.
Acacia nigripilosa is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to Western Australia.
Acacia rossei, also known as Yellowdine wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia spathulifolia commonly known as Gold carpet or the Gold carpet wattle is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to coastal parts of western Australia.
Acacia dielsii, commonly known as Diels' wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is native to Western Australia.
Acacia prismifolia is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to a small area of south western Australia. It was once thought to be extinct until a specimen was found in 2018.