''Acacia alata'' (common name: winged wattle) is a shrub belonging to the genus ''
Acacia
''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus na ...
''.
Description
''Acacia alata'' is a frost-hardy, large, multi-branched shrub, typically growing to a height of
and across. Its branchlets are often bent alternately in different directions.
The
phyllodes (modified
petioles) are reduced in size and give the impression of
cladodes
:''In botany, "Cladodes" may refer to a synonym of the genus '' Alchornea'' or to the plural of " cladode".''
''Cladodes'' is a genus of firefly beetles.
It used to be included in the subfamily Amydetinae, which is probably a highly artifici ...
(branches that resemble leaves). The wings of these phyllodes are usually wide and long. Furthermore, each phyllode extends into a
spine
Spine or spinal may refer to:
Science Biology
* Vertebral column, also known as the backbone
* Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite
* Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants
* Spine (zoolog ...
. Tolerate frosts to .
''A. alata'' blooms between April and December.
[ The ]inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
is simple with mostly two flowers per axil
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
, but sometimes distributed in raceme
A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...
s. The globular heads contain 4 to 15 flowers. These flowers can be white, cream-coloured or golden yellow. The last flower form is preferred for cultivation.[
]
Classification
The species was first formally described by the botanist
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
Robert Brown in 1813 in William Townsend Aiton
William Townsend Aiton FRHS FLS (2 February 1766 – 9 October 1849) was an English botanist. He was born at Kew on 2 February 1766, the eldest son of William Aiton.
He brought out a second and enlarged edition of the ''Hortus Kewensis'' in 181 ...
's work ''Hortus Kewensis''.
Distribution
The species is distributed throughout the west coast Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
from north of Geraldton to south around Albany. It grows in a variety of soils types in areas near streams, rocky hills, salt pans and clay flats.[
]
See also
*List of Acacia species
Several Cladistics, cladistic analyses have shown that the genus ''Acacia sensu lato, Acacia'' is not monophyletic. While the subg. ''Acacia'' and subg. ''Phyllodinae'' are monophyletic, subg. ''Aculeiferum'' is not. This subgenus consists of thr ...
References
External links
Australian National Botanical Gardens : ''Acacia alata''World Wide Wattle: ''Acacia alata''.
Retrieved 29 May 2018.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2704484
alata
Fabales of Australia
Acacias of Western Australia
Plants described in 1813
Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)