Acacia rigens
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. rigens
Binomial name
Acacia rigens
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms
  • Acacia chordophylla Benth.
  • Racosperma rigens (A.Cunn. ex Don) Pedley

Acacia rigens, commonly known as nealie, is an erect or spreading shrub or small tree that is endemic to Australia.[2][3] Other common names include needle wattle, needlebush acacia, nealia and nilyah.[3]

Description

Plants typically grows to a height of 1 to 6 m (3 ft 3 in to 19 ft 8 in) and have rigid, terete phyllodes that are between 3 and 13 cm (1.2 and 5.1 in) in length. The bright yellow flowerheads appear in groups of up to four in the axils of the phyllodes. The simple inflorescences have resinous and spherical flower-heads with a diameter of 4 to 7 mm (0.16 to 0.28 in) and contain 20 to 30 bright yellow coloured, 5-merous flowers that appear between July and December in the species' native range, followed by curled, twisted or coiled seed pods which are 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) long and 2 to 3 mm (0.079 to 0.118 in) wide.[2][3]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1832 by botanist Allan Cunningham.[1] It resembles Acacia havilandiorum but has longer phyllodes and 4-merous flowers. The specific epithet is thought to be a reference to the rigidity of the phyllodes.[3]

Distribution

The species occurs on red earth, sandy or shaly soils in mallee and woodland in southern Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.[3][4]

Cultivation

The species is fast-growing and is both frost and drought tolerant, rarely requiring watering after establishment. It is adaptable to most soils and is best suited to a position in full sun or light shade.[5]

The larvae of the double-spotted lineblue butterfly feed on this species.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Acacia rigens". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  2. 1 2 "Acacia rigens". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Acacia rigens". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  4. 1 2 "Acacia rigens". Electronic Flora of South Australia Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. Archived from the original on 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  5. ↑ Greig, D. (1987). The Australian Gardener's Wildflower Catalogue. Australia: Angus & Robertson. ISBN 978-0-207-15460-7.
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