Acacia caerulescens
Acacia caerulescens, commonly known as limestone blue wattle, Buchan blue or Buchan blue wattle is a tree species that is endemic to south eastern Australia
Limestone blue wattle | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Clade: | Mimosoideae |
Genus: | Acacia |
Species: | A. caerulescens |
Binomial name | |
Acacia caerulescens | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms | |
Racosperma caerulescens (Maslin & Court) Pedley |
Description
The tree grows to between 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft) in height and has a pyramidal habit with glabrous branchlets that have a fine white powdery coating. Like most species of Acacia it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. The evergreen phyllodes have an obovate to oblanceolate or sometimes narrowly elliptic shape with a length of 4 to 8 cm (1.6 to 3.1 in) and a width of 1.5 to 3 mm (0.059 to 0.118 in). The lemon yellow globular flowerheads appear in racemes from November to December in the species' native range, followed by seed pods that are 5 to 12 cm long and 1.4 to 2.2 cm wide.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was formally described in 1989 based on plant material collected near Buchan in Gippsland.[3][4]
Distribution
It has a limited distribution in Victoria where it is only found in the Lakes Enternace and Buchan areas. It is found as remnant populations mostly in clay soils over limestone as a part of Eucalyptus woodland communities. Its natural habitat is under threat of land clearing.[3]
See also
References
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. "Acacia caerulescens — Limestone Blue Wattle, Buchan Blue, Buchan Blue Wattle". Species Profile and Threats Database. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- "Acacia caerulescens ". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- "Acacia caerulescens ". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
- Carter, Oberon; Walsh, Neville (November 2006). "National Recovery Plan for Limestone Blue Wattle - Acacia caerulescens" (PDF). State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.