Sandplain 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. murrayana |
Binomial name | |
Acacia murrayana | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms | |
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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. [1] [2] [3]
Sandplain wattle grows as a tall shrub or small tree typically to a height of 2 to 5 m (6 ft 7 in to 16 ft 5 in) but can grow as tall as 8 m (26 ft). [4] It is able to form suckers and form dense colonies. It has glabrous branchlets that are often covered in a fine white powdery coating giving it frosted appearance. [3] Like most Acacia species, it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. They are grey or pale green, with a length of 5 to 12 cm (2.0 to 4.7 in) and a width of 2 to 7 mm (0.079 to 0.276 in). [1] The glabrous and thinly coriaceous phyllodes have a linear to narrowly elliptic shape but are occasionally oblanceolate and have a minute, callous and curved mucro. The phyllodes midrib is not prominent and it has obscure lateral nerves that are longitudinally anastomosing. [3] In Western Australia it blooms between August and November [4] but it can flower as late as January in other places and produce profuse flower displays a seed crops in favourable conditions. [5] The flowers are bright yellow, and held in cylindrical clusters up to eight millimetres in diameter. [1] The spherical flower-heads are composed of 25 to 50 densely packed golden to light golden coloured flowers. The pods are flat and papery with a length of 5 to 8 cm (2.0 to 3.1 in) and a width of up to 1 cm (0.39 in). [1]
In Australia, its main flowering period is from August to November (this varies upon specific geographic) with pods maturing several months later (November-January). During favorable seasons, plants flower profusely and produce heavy pod crops. [3]
The species most closely resembles A. pachyacra which has a similar range. The most obvious way to distinguish them is that A. pachyacra phyllodes (leaves) are much narrower. [3]
The species was first formally described by the botanist George Bentham in 1864 as part of the work Flora Australiensis . It was reclassified as Racosperma murrayanum in 1987 by Leslie Pedley then transferred back to genus Acacia in 2006. [6] A. murrayana resembles Acacia dietrichiana but belongs to the A. murrayana group of wattles along with Acacia gelasina , Acacia praelongata , Acacia pachyacra and Acacia subrigida . This group of wattles is allied with the Acacia victoriae and Acacia juncifolia groups. [3] The specific epithet honours Dr James Patrick Murray who was the collector of the type specimen as he travelled on Howitt's Expedition to Cooper Creek as the surgeon in 1862. [5]
It is widespread throughout Australia's arid zone, occurring on sand ridges and in disturbed areas. In Western Australia it has a scattered distribution throughout the Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid West, northern Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions where it is commonly situated on sandplains, sand dunes and along creek-lines growing in sandy soils. [4] The range of the tree extends from around Shark Bay and North West Cape in the west to the east through northern South Australia and the interior of the Northern Territory to the western edge of the Great Dividing Range around Mitchell in Queensland and Narrabri in New South Wales where it is usually part of mulga or spinifex communities. [3]
Most Acacia seeds are highly nutritious with an established history of traditional use by Aboriginal Australians. Because of this, Acacia species have been explored as a neglected and underutilized crop that could be used to improve food security in developing countries. A. murrayana has been suggested to be one of the most promising species for this purpose. Seeds contain around 26% protein, 26% carbohydrate, 32% fiber, and 9% fat and have a low glycemic index. [3] [7] [8]
Seeds and gum of the plant is a food source for Central Australian Aboriginae. Seeds can be ground to make a flour that can be used as a flavoring in desserts, a nutritious supplement in breads and pastries, or for a caffeine-free coffee alternative. [3] [8]
The bark of all Acacia species are high in tannins, making them useful for dyeing. [8]
Acacia inaequilatera, commonly known as kanji bush, baderi, camel bush, fire wattle, kanyji bush or ranji bush is a tree in the family Mimosaceae. Endemic to Australia, it is widely distributed in the semi-arid Triodia country eastwards from Karratha, Western Australia into the Northern Territory.
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 tetragonophylla, commonly known as curara, kurara or dead finish, is a tree in the family Fabaceae that is endemic to arid and semi-arid parts of central and western Australia.
Acacia colei is a perennial bush or tree native to northern Australia and southern Asia. A common name for it is Cole's wattle. Acacia colei blooms from May through September and the flowers are bright yellow.
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 pyrifolia, commonly known as ranji bush is a shrub that is endemic to the north of Western Australia.
Acacia tumida, known colloquially as pindan wattle, spear wattle or wongai, is a species of Acacia native to northern and western Australia.
Acacia distans is a tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to arid parts of western 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 hamersleyensis, also known as Karijini wattle or Hamersley Range wattle, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is endemic to a small area in central Western Australia.
Acacia intorta is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to arid parts of central Western 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 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.
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.
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 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 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 abrupta is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to arid parts of central and western Australia.
Acacia longispinea is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of south western Australia.
Acacia oswaldii, commonly known as boree, umbrella wattle, umbrella bush, whyacka, middia, miljee, nella and curly yarran, is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves.