''Acacia ulicifolia'', commonly known as prickly Moses or juniper wattle is a shrub of 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 ...

'' and the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

''Phyllodineae'',

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Description

''Acacia ulicifolia'' is

decumbent This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

to an erect shrub high, with smooth grey bark. The phyllodes which are leaf like in appearance and function, are short and needle like, long. 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 ...

of the plant, or the collections of

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

, consist of a flower head attached to the stem by a long slender stalk long. The flowers are pale cream. The pod is long, wide, curved and evenly constricted between the seeds. Flowering period is mid autumn to mid spring. The common name prickly Moses is a corruption of prickly mimosa.

Taxonomy

''Acacia ulicifolia'' was first described by R.A. Salisbury in 1796 as Mimosa ulicifolia, but in 1957 was placed in the genus Acacia by A.B. Court.

Habitat and ecology

''Acacia ulicifolia'' is found in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands, usually in sandy soil. It is widespread in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , 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 ...

along the coast and tablelands. It is also found in

Queensland ) , 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_ ...

Victoria (Australia) Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...

and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15289281 ulicifolia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Flora of Victoria (state) Flora of Tasmania Plants described in 1957

Description

Taxonomy

Habitat and ecology

See also

References