Acacia lineata ''A.Cunn. ex G.Don'', commonly known as streaked wattle or narrow lined-leaved wattle, occurs naturally inland eastern Australia. 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 ...
is the largest genus of flowering plants in Australia, containing around 1000 species throughout a diverse range of environments from coast to desert.
The word Acacia is thought to have been derived from a Greek word for sharpen, and lineata from a Latin word meaning marked by fine parallel lines.
Currently ''A. lineata'' is not considered rare or endangered. It occurs in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria where it is considered as uncommon.
Description
Acacia ''lineata'' grows into a bushy, low spreading shrub 0.5-2m high and 1–2.5m wide. Branchlets are round, hairy and resinous. It is a perennial.
As is common in many Acacias, the leaves of ''A. lineata'' are not true leaves, but a modified leaf stem known as a
phyllode
Phyllodes are modified petioles or leaf stems, which are leaf-like in appearance and function. In some plants, these become flattened and widened, while the leaf itself becomes reduced or vanishes altogether. Thus the phyllode comes to serve the ...
. The phyllodes of A. ''lineata'' are dark green, sparsely to densely hairy, often sticky, slightly clustered, tough and erect; ending in a small point 0.7-2.5 cm long to 1-3mm wide. Margins are thick, there is a visible vein running lengthwise and a small gland near the base.
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 a bright yellow ball 4-6mm in diameter, containing 10-16 flowers on a slim stalk 2.5-10mm long (singly or in pairs), growing out from the base of the phyllodes.
The seed pod or
legume
A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...
s are curved and can be flat or twisted, 2–6 cm long and 2-4mm wide, turning from green to a dark brown when mature and papery in texture. They are slightly hairy and sticky.
Seeds are greyish/black, 3 to 5mm long, oblong shaped and spaced length-ways within the legume; with flattened sections separated each seed from another. The seed-terminal is short, folded and widens into a pale
aril
An aril (pronounced ), also called an arillus, is a specialized outgrowth from a seed that partly or completely covers the seed. An arillode or false aril is sometimes distinguished: whereas an aril grows from the attachment point of the see ...
.
Taxonomy
''A. lineata'' belongs to the Family
also called the legume or pea family, in the Clade
Mimosoidae.
The following species are considered conspecific with ''A. lineata;
A. imbricata, A. flexifolia, A. runciformis and A. dasyphylla''.
Distribution and habitat
''A. lineata'' has a sporadic distribution. It occurs in central to western
New South Wales
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, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
. It has been noted to grow around the Killara Road area of the Narrandera Rangers, and throughout the mallee areas north-east of Barellan.
It also known to occur in south-east
Queensland
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, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, north-west
Mallee areas of
Victoria and can be seen in south-east
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
; with known locations including the Yorke Peninsula region and Murray region.
''A. lineata'' grows in a variety of habitats such as
sclerophyll forest
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct ...
and woodland, but mostly occurs in mallee communities.
Ecology
''A. lineata'' can grow in alkaline, sandy, or gravely soils.
Having phyllodes instead of leaves help ''A. lineate'' to survive in dry semi-arid environments, by reducing water loss. The phyllodes of ''A. lineatea'' are small, point up and are slightly hairy; adaptations that further reduce water loss.
Acacias are able to fix
nitrogen
Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...
in the soil via a host bacteria that live on the roots called
rhizobia
Rhizobia are diazotrophic bacteria that fix nitrogen after becoming established inside the root nodules of legumes (Fabaceae). To express genes for nitrogen fixation, rhizobia require a plant host; they cannot independently fix nitrogen. In gene ...
, which aids in the growth of other plant species.
Reproduction and dispersal
''A. lineata'' flowers appear from July to October depending on the region, with seeds maturing over summer.
The pale aril of the ''A. lineata'' seeds, suggests
dispersal by ants.
Cultivation and uses
A. ''lineata'' is planted as an ornamental shrub in parks and along roadsides. It prefers temperate regions, is moderately drought and frost tolerant, and will grow from a seed or cutting.
Acacias are a good source of pollen; sheltered nesting habitat for birds and seeds which are eaten by birds.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
use many species of Acacia for a diverse range of purposes. Seeds and roots are a good source of food. Wood is used for fire, tools, shelters etc. Acacias provide habitat which attracts other foods (birds, kangaroos) and they are also used as a seasonal indicator.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4670958
lineata
Flora of New South Wales
Flora of Queensland
Flora of Victoria (state)
Fabales of Australia