Acacias of Spring

15 August 2010

Despite there being a small gale blowing at lunchtime I took myself and the small dog off to see what members of the genus Acacia I could find flowering.  I managed to find 4 on this day: I couldn't find any A. genistifolia although I have seen it on the property, and the A. pravissima was not yet in flower.  I will try to keep this post updated as I find other species.

In the images which follow I have tried to include both the flower and leaf/phyllode, as the latter are far more reliable than the former as a guide to identification.

Acacia buxifolia: 'Box-leaf Wattle'.  On our property this is only represented in the direct seeding by Greening Australia.

Acacia Dawsonii:  Poverty Wattle.  So called because of the sparseness of the flowerheads.  This is a 'foreigner' which has escaped from someone's planting and now grows a fair bit in the area.
Acacia dealbata:  Silver Wattle.  The commonest tree on the block with many dead clumps in the top paddock surrounded by saplings growing up from the old suckers.
Acacia gunnii: Ploughshare wattle.  So called because of the shape of the leaves.  Along with A. genistifolia, one of the very early flowering wattles.
16 August 2010

I was able to track down some A. genistifolia albeit some kilometres away, between Hoskinstown and Forbes Creek.  The following image shows why the name translates as "Gorse-leaved Wattle".
The Acacia pravissima (Ovens Wattle) which lines our garden has hit it's stride on 8 Ovtober.

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