Acacia podalyriifolia A.Cunn. ex G.Don

Pearl wattle (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Fabales > Fabaceae > Acacia

Characteristics

Spreading tree 3–7 m high. Branchlets pruinose, ± velvety with dense straight soft and spreading hairs, very rarely glabrous. Phyllodes elliptic to widely elliptic, oblong-elliptic, ovate or sometimes obovate, 2–4 (–6) cm long, 1–2.5 (–3) cm wide, l: w normally 1.5–2.5, mucronate, thin, usually silvery grey to glaucous, with indumentum as on branchlets but sparser, sometimes glabrescent, with slightly excentric midrib, finely penniveined; gland normally inconspicuous and 8–18 mm above pulvinus; pulvinus 1–2 mm long. Inflorescence racemose; raceme axes 2–11 cm long, exceeding phyllodes, with indumentum similar to branchlets; peduncles (3–) 5–10 mm long, with indumentum similar to branchlets; heads showy, fragrant, globular, 15–30-flowered, bright light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united. Pods to 12 cm long, 1.5–2 cm wide, thinly coriaceous, velvety and pruinose when young, sometimes glabrous with age, dehiscing unilaterally; margins often undulate. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, 6–7.5 mm long, dull, black; aril clavate.
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Unarmed shrub or small tree up to 6 m high; young branchlets densely grey-pubescent. Leaves phyllodic, apparently simple, glaucous, mostly 1.5-4 x 1-2 cm, ovate to elliptic or elliptic-oblong, often oblique, with a single main longitudinal nerve and finely but distinctly penninerved, sparingly to densely pubescent, with 1 or 2 marginal glands. Inflorescences capitate, in axillary racemes which are usually longer than the phyllodes, mostly terminal. Flowers bright yellow; peduncles pubescent, up to 7 mm long. Calyx less than half as long as the corolla, pubescent apically. Petals ± free, hirsute. Pods brown, glabrous or pubescent, 4-8.5 x 1.5-2 cm, straight or almost so, flattened, margins often ± undulate, dehiscing longitudinally. Seeds dark brownish-black, 6-7 x ±3.5 mm, smooth, compressed; caruncle conspicuous; areole 3.5-4 x ±1.5 mm.
Unarmed tree to 5 m high. Branchlets glaucous, with dense, rigid hairs 0.4-0.6 mm, rarely glabrous. Phyllodes with dense straight hairs, sometimes glabrescent, elliptic or ovate, top acute, obtuse, or rarely retuse, mucronulate, sometimes slightly undulate, main vein closer to the dorsal margin, penniveined, 2-5 by l-2(-2.7) cm, 1.4-2.5 times as long as wide, pulvinus 1-2 mm, with a usually inconspicuous gland, (0.5-)0.8-2 cm above the base. Heads formed of 20-30 flowers grouped in racemes, with indumentum similar to that of the branchlets. Flowers yellow, pentamerous, bisexual. Pod flat with prominent margins, up to 9 by c. 2 cm, glaucous, sofdy hairy. Seeds longitudinal, 6.5-7.5 by 3-4 mm, pleurogram open, funicle thickened into a clavate aril.
An evergreen shrub. It grows to 3-5 m high and 3-4 m across. The stem is erect and slender. The bark is pale brown. The tree has a graceful weeping habit. The small branches have a bluish bloom and rigid hairs. The leaves (phyllodes) are silvery white. They are broad and oval with a single vein. They are 2-6 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide. The flower heads are deep golden balls 1 cm across. They occur in large numbers in clusters. The flowering branches are 7-15 cm long. The flowers have a sweet smell. The pods are brown and flat. They are broad and wrinkled. They are 6-8 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide.
Small tree or shrub, 3-6 m high. Branches: young ones and phyllodia covered with grey powdery bloom and dense grey hairs. Leaves phyllodia, apparently simple, silvery grey to dull green, velvety, ovate to elliptic, 15-40 x 10-20 mm, one prominent midvein. Flowers globular heads in axillary racemes, bright yellow. Flowering time June-Aug. Pod grey-brown, 30-80 x 15-20 mm, straight, velvety, margins flattened, wavy and constricted between seeds, apex acute, dehiscent.
Unarmed, evergreen shrub or small tree, 3-10 m, with branches and new growth covered with a greyish, powdery bloom and densely velvety hairs. Phyllodes oval or elliptical, with 1 central, longitudinal vein, silvery grey to dull green, Flowers in globose heads, bright yellow. Pods greyish brown, velvety, broad, with wavy margins.
Unarmed shrub or tree, up to 6 m high. Young branchlets and phyllodes densely grey pubescent, especially when young. Phyllodes ovate to elliptic, mostly 10-20 mm wide. Pods 15-20 mm wide. Flowers bright yellow.
Leaves glaucous, phyllodic, apparently simple, mostly 1.5-5.5 x 1-2.5 cm., ovate to elliptic or elliptic-oblong, softly ± pubescent.
Flowers yellow, in heads arranged in axillary racemes which are ± aggregated terminally.
Shrub or small tree 3-6 m. high, unarmed; young branchlets densely grey-pubescent.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 3.0
Mature height (meter) 3.0 - 5.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 0.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a subtropical plant. It occurs naturally in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It prefers light to medium soils but will grow on almost any soil. It needs an open sunny position. It is a little drought and frost tolerant. It can be damaged by frost while young. It may need extra water in dry periods. It will grow from tropical to temperate climates. It needs good drainage. It needs a rainfall above 50 mm per year. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.
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Hills and rocky ridges. In the north of its range this species is more or less restricted to sandstone hills in open Eucalyptus forest, but in the south it occurs on rocks of various types.
In the north of its range it is more or less restricted to sandstone hills in open Eucalyptus forest, but in the south it occurs on rocks of various types.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 7-10
Soil texture 3-6
Soil acidity 3-6
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-10

Usage

A widely cultivated and fast growing species which is highly decorative on account of its masses of bright golden, perfumed heads and normally silvery grey to glaucous phyllodes.
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The flowers can be fried and eaten. They are mixed with a light batter and made into fritters. These can be served with sugar and whipped cream.
Uses dye environmental use medicinal ornamental soil improve wood
Edible flowers seeds
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

It is grown from seed. The seed need treatment to break the hard seed coat. Normally this is by putting the seeds in very hot water and letting the water cool down overnight then planting the seeds immediately. If the seed are grown in a nursery the seeds grow quickly but the plants suffer a set back when transplanted. It can be heavily pruned after flowering to maintain a bushy growth pattern. It develops sooty mould in humid areas.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 21
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 26
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -3
Optimum temperature (C°) 18 - 32
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Acacia podalyriifolia habit picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Acacia podalyriifolia leaf picture by Alena Alena (cc-by-sa)
Acacia podalyriifolia leaf picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Acacia podalyriifolia leaf picture by Isaac Jacobs (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Acacia podalyriifolia flower picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Acacia podalyriifolia flower picture by A M (cc-by-sa)
Acacia podalyriifolia flower picture by Mairead Young (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Acacia podalyriifolia fruit picture by Brendan Watts (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Acacia podalyriifolia world distribution map, present in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malawi, Malaysia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, United States of America, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

Conservation status

Acacia podalyriifolia threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:76522-3
WFO ID wfo-0000209495
COL ID 64C29
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 670794
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Acacia podalyriaefolia Acacia fraseri Racosperma podalyriifolia Racosperma podalyriifolium Acacia podalyriifolia var. viridis Acacia podalyriifolia var. typica Acacia podalyriaefolia var. viridis Acacia podalyriifolia