Prickly Moses | |
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A. pulchella | |
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. pulchella |
Binomial name | |
Acacia pulchella | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Acacia pulchella f. typica E.Pritz. Contents |
Acacia pulchella, commonly known as prickly moses [2] or western prickly moses, [3] is a shrub in the family Fabaceae. Endemic to Western Australia, it is one of the most common shrubs of the bushland around Perth and in the Darling Range.
The shrub typically grows to a height of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) branches freely, and has flexuose and spine-tipped pale green branchlets and 1 mm (0.039 in) stipules. The leaves are composed of three to five pinnae. [3] Prickly moses is one of only few Acacia species to have true leaves rather than phyllodes. It has feathery, bipinnate leaves with leaflets up to 5 mm long. At the base of each leaf is one or two spines. It flowers in late winter and early spring. The rudimentary inflorescences occur in groups of one to three racemose spherical flower heads with a diameter of about 1 cm (0.39 in), usually containing 10 to 40 but sometimes up to 60 golden coloured flowers. The crustaceous seed pods that form after flowering have a narrowly oblong shape and are flat or slightly undulate with a length of 1.5 to 5 cm (0.59 to 1.97 in) and a width of 3 to 5 mm (0.12 to 0.20 in).The brown seeds inside are mostly oblong and 2.5 to 4.5 mm (0.098 to 0.177 in) in length. [4] The name "prickly moses" is said to be a corruption of "prickly mimosa".
It was first described in 1813 by Robert Brown. [5] [6]
The specific epithet is derived from Latin and names small and beautiful. [3] There are four recognised varieties:
It belongs to the A pulchella group of wattles along with Acacia amputata , Acacia epacantha , Acacia fagonioides , Acacia guinetii , Acacia lasiocarpa and Acacia megacephala . [4]
It is found in the Perth, Peel, South West, Great Southern, and southern parts of the Wheatbelt and Mid West, where it is commonly situated in swamps, low-lying areas, and near creeks and rivers. [2] The range of the plant extends from around Geraldton in the north down to near Esperance in the east and to coastal areas in the west and south. Geraldton to Esperance. A single population in Creek Conservation ParkPark has also been recorded in South Australia. [3]
Recent research suggests that A. pulchella may in some circumstances suppress the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi . [7]
This prickly shrub is useful as a screen to inhibit animal and human access to areas. [8]
Acacia alata, commonly known as winged wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched shrub, its phyllodes continuous with the branches and arranged on either side of them, flowers arranged in racemes of 2 spherical heads of white to golden-yellow flowers, and flat, curved, crusty pods 20–80 mm (0.79–3.15 in) long.
Acacia nigricans is a species of wattle which is endemic to an area on the south coast of Western Australia.
Adenanthos pungens, the spiky adenanthos, is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Calothamnus gracilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with upright foliage, common in heath within its range. It has long, thin leaves and produces dark red flowers at different times of the year, depending partly on rainfall. It is similar to Calothamnus gibbosus but lacks the corky bark on the older branches of that species and its flowers and fruit are not as deeply embedded in the bark.
Acacia andrewsii is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to western Australia.
Acacia erinacea, also known as prickly wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is native to Western Australia.
Acacia laricina is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia merrallii, commonly known as Merrall's wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western and southern Australia.
Acacia prainii, commonly known as Prain's wattle, is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae endemic to Australia.
Acacia pycnocephala is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to south western Australia.
Acacia ancistrophylla is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is native to several areas on southern Australia.
Acacia colletioides, commonly known as wait-a-while, pin bush and spine bush, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is native to 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 flavipila is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of south western Australia.
Acacia lobulata, commonly known as Chiddarcooping wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to a small area of south western Australia. It was declared as rare flora in 1997 and is now listed as endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
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.
Acacia sclerophylla, commonly known as the hard-leaf wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves and is endemic to southern parts of Australia.
Acacia amputata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched, spreading shrub with spiny branchlets, small bipinnate leaves, light golden flowers arranged in spherical heads of 10 to 20, and wavy or coiled pods up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long.
Acacia guinetii, commonly known as Guinet's wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Pulchellae that is endemic to a small area along the coast of western Australia
Acacia lasiocarpa, commonly known as Panjang or Pajang or glow wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Pulchellae that is endemic to Western Australia.