Coast myall
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Acacia
Species:
A. binervia
Binomial name
Acacia binervia
Occurrence data from AVH

Acacia binervia, commonly known as the coast myall, is a wattle native to New South Wales and Victoria. It can grow as a shrub or as a tree reaching 16 m in height.[1] This plant is reportedly toxic to livestock as the foliage (phyllodes) contain a glucoside which can produce hydrogen cyanide if cut.[1]

Taxonomy

German botanist Johann Christoph Wendland first described this species as Mimosa binervia in 1798,[2] before American botanist James Francis Macbride reclassified it in the genus Acacia in 1919.[3] Common names include coast myall and rosewood.[3] Acacia glaucescens is an illegitimate name.[4]

Description

Acacia binervia grows as a shrub to small tree anywhere from 2 to 16 m (6.6 to 52.5 ft) high. The bark is dark brown to grey in colour, and the elliptic to sickle-shaped (falcate) phyllodes are 6–15 cm (2.4–5.9 in) in length and 0.5–2.3 cm (0.20–0.91 in) wide. The cylindrical yellow flowers appear in spring (August to October).[1] Flowering is followed by the development of 6–8 cm long seed pods, which are ripe by December.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Acacia binervia is found in central New South Wales from the Hunter Region south, and to Bungonia in the southwest, and continuing south into Victoria.[1] In the Sydney basin, it grows on a variety of soils and associated plant communities—alluvial soils, sandstone-, shale- or trachyte-based soils, generally with good drainage. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest, associated with such species as yellow bloodwood (Corymbia eximia), grey gum (Eucalyptus punctata), narrow-leaved ironbark (E. crebra), mugga ironbark (E. sideroxylon), or more open woodland with narrow-leaved ironbark and black cypress pine (Callitris endlicheri), and riparian (riverbank) forest with river peppermint (E. elata) and gossamer wattle (Acacia floribunda).[5]

Ecology

Acacia binervia regenerates from bushfire by a soil-borne seedbank, the seeds germinate and grow after fire while adult plants are killed. The frequency of fire for the cycle to persist is anywhere from 10 to 50 years.[5] It is useful to bees in the honey industry.[5]

Cultural significance

For the Dharawal people, the flowering of Acacia binervia was used as a seasonal indicator of the presence of fish in bays and estuaries.[6]

References

Wikispecies has information related to Acacia binervia.
  1. 1 2 3 4 P.G. Kodela. "New South Wales Flora Online: Acacia binervia". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  2. ↑ "Mimosa binervia J.C.Wendl". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  3. 1 2 "Acacia binervia (J.C.Wendl.) J.F.Macbr". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  4. ↑ "Acacia glaucescens Willd. [nom. illeg. ]". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1996). "Ecology of Sydney Plant Species Part 4: Dicotyledon family Fabaceae" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 4 (4): 552–752. ISSN 0727-9620. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-06-23. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  6. ↑ "D'harawal calendar". Indigenous Weather Knowledge. Bureau of Meteorology. 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
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