Acacia salicina

Taxobox
name = "Acacia salicina"

---

image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Fabales
familia = Fabaceae
subfamilia = Mimosoideae
genus = "Acacia"
species = "A. salicina"
binomial = "Acacia salicina"
binomial_authority = Lindl. [ [http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?version~10.01&LegumeWeb&tno~16286&genus~Acacia&species~salicina ILDIS LegumeWeb] ]
synonyms =
* "Acacia salicina" Lindl. var. "typica" Domin
* "Acacia salicina" Lindl. var. "varians" (Benth.)Benth.
* "Acacia salix-tristis" F. Muell.
* "Acacia varians" Benth.
* "Racosperma salicinum" (Lindl.) Pedley

Description

"Acacia salicina" is a thornless species of "Acacia" tree native to Australia.

Common names include Cooba, Native Willow, Willow Wattle, Broughton Willow,Sally Wattle and Black Wattle.

It is a large shrub or small evergreen [http://e-commerce.pvc.maricopa.edu/cis234/jsummers/Final/PlantList.xml Gardens At Carefree Town Center - Plant Identification List] ] tree growing 3 to 20 m tall. [ [http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=sp&name=Acacia~salicina PlantNet - FloraOnline - Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia] ] It has a life span of about 10-15 years. In the Northern Hemisphere, "Acacia salicina" flowers primarily from October to January and the seed pods are often visible from April to July. [ [http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1359/az13592b.pdf PDF] Ursula K. Schuch and Margaret Norem, Growth of Legume Tree SpeciesGrowing in the Southwestern United States, University of Arizona.] The tree's seeds are shiny, black and have a crimson appendage-like aril. [http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/species-bank/sbank-treatment2.pl?id=2006 Species Bank Treatment for Acacia Salicina] ] "Acacia salicina" is "closely related" to "Acacia ligulata" [ [http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&keyname=Acacia+ligulata Fact Sheet for Acacia ligulata] ] and "Acacia bievenosa". [ [http://www.worldwidewattle.com/speciesgallery/ligulata.php WorldWideWattle] ]

Chemical Compounds

Wood

*(-)-7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavanone [http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/CH9641164.htm Australian Journal of Chemistry] ]
*7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxydihydroflavonol.]
*7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavonol.]

Natural growing conditions

"A. salicina" is found parts of Eastern Australia. The average yearly precipitation over the entire range is 375-550mm, with the plant itself found growing in regions receiving in excess of 1500mm annually in northern Queensland and as low as 100mm annuall in central Australia. Its natural altitude range is from 50-300m above sea level..] It does well in full sun exposure and it tolerates frosts down to -6.7 deg. C (-20 deg. F)..]

Uses

Erosion management

"A. salicina" can be used to help stabilize riverbanks and other areas. [http://www.csu.edu.au/herbarium/acacsali_sws.html Acacia Salicina] ]

Fodder

The tree's foliage and seed pods are important fodder for livestock during dry periods, since the tree can withstand drought quite well..] Its foliage and pods compare quite poorly to other fodders with regard to digestibility by livestock. This affects its available nutritional value. [http://www.worldwidewattle.com/infogallery/utilisation/acaciasearch/pdf/salicina.pdf Acacia Search] ]

Food

The seeds are edible..]

Landscaping

"A. salicina" is excellent for landscaping in dry areas..]

Tannin

The bark has a high tannin content..]

Wood

The wood is very hard and it is used in making fine furniture..] At one time, the tree's wood was used in the manufacture of axles for wagon wheels."Acacia salicina's" wood burns nicely and makes good fuel..] Its calorific content is 18900kJ/kg dry mass..] The tree produces seed and timber for woodworking in as little as five years after planting. [ [http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/E37E9A13CF973970CA256F9A008064F9/$File/Issue+27+Autumn+2003.pdf] Victorian Landcare & Catchment Management, Autumn 2003 Issue 27 p. 8] ]

Other uses

The bark has been traditionally put to use by Indigenous Australians as a toxin for fishing..] The leaves of "A. salicina" are thought to be psychoactive, since indigenous Australians "burn its leaves and smoke the ash to obtain a state of inebriation." [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=QN78GmmPGBQC&pg=PA183&dq=acacia+alkaloids&sig=PhyzzX2xziMBVNMeTLX7qjPfZv4 Handbook Of Medicinal Plants By Zohara. Yaniv, Uriel Bachrach] ]

Weed Status

Acacia salicina spreads widely through seed dipersal, and individual trees can rapidly form thickets through production of adventitious shoots from the root system. The species has become a significant weed over some of its native [www.worldwidewattle.com/infogallery/utilisation/acaciasearch/pdf/salicina.pdf ] [www.nativevegetation.nsw.gov.au/p/fact_sheet_9_list.pdf ] and introduced [ [http://invasive.m-fuukei.jp/sdetail.php?g=Acacia&s=salicina Invasive weeds database ] ] range

References