acacia sp

wattle species

 

Acacia sp.

Mill.

pronounced: uh-KAY-shuh speciess

(Mimosaceae — the wattle family)

 

common name: wattle

native 4A species of Acacia has been observed, that appears to be new to Magnetic Island. A small group of these trees is growing in a clearing on the side of the road opposite to the sewerage works, on the West Point road. This is the site of an old quarry, and was used in recent years as a machinery park during the road widening necessary for the new rubbish facility. It was also used to store road fill imported at the time for roadmaking purposes. This may have caused its introduction to Magnetic Island either via the machinery or in the soil.

This is a small tree that grows to at least 5 m tall, with a slightly weeping habit. The barkof the trunk is a mottled pale grey in colour, without furrows.

The phyllades are green, linear, and in many cases there seem to be about 3 veins that stand out a little from the others. The phyllodes are narrow, up to about 6 cm long and less than 1 cm wide. There is also a little point at the tip, which is often withered, and rather curved.

The inflorescences occur mostly at the ends of the branches, or singly in the axils. They form a short mid-yellow spike , measuring about 15 to 25 mm long. The flowers appear from late July to early August.

The seed pods are sessile, linear, flat with raised edges, and measure about 8 to 12 cm in length. They mature in about mid-October.


The seeds are black, with a slight rim, and a brown depression in the centre; the arils are white, and coiled near one end of the seed.


If any reader knows this wattle, or anything about it, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

 



Photographed near West Point road, 2019

Page last updated 2nd December2019