Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Acacia deanei subsp. deanei

Terminal or axillary racemes of pale yellow flowers

Family: Mimosoideae

Common name: Dean's Wattle

Flowers: Inflorescences are terminal or axillary racemes, cream to yellow, rarely more than 5.5mm diameter. The main flowering period is March to August, but can flower at any time of the year.

Leaves: Bipinnate (fern-like) leaves (up to about 3.5cm long) are made up of many small leaflets (pinnules) along a central stalk. Colour is pale grey-green. At the base of each pair of leaflets is a small gland.

Seed pods: Ripe seed pods are brown to dark brown, straight to slightly curved, with irregular constrictions between the shiny black seeds. There will often be countless split pods beneath trees.

Habit: Relatively drought and frost tolerant, Acacia deanei subsp. deanei thrives in dry conditions on a variety of soil types. It is fast growing and can become weedy, overtaking other vegetation. It is multi-stemmed from or near ground level and can grow to 5mts tall to form a neat compact bush or a spindly straggly shrub. Generally, it is not a particularly attractive acacia.

Habitat: Acacia deanei subsp. deanei is widespread in central NSW, extending to inland parts of southern Queensland on plains, slopes and tablelands. In the Pilliga it is common on roadsides and in woodlands.
Grey-green bipinnate leaves with tiny gland at base of each pair of leaflets

Flattened stems with alternate branchlets

Unripened seed pods, and ripe seed pod with seed

Spindly habit in woodland where shaded by taller trees
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