Assignment/exercise
USC Plant Profile - Fabaceae, Acacia longissima
University of the Sunshine Coast
2022
Appears in UniSC Plant Profiles
Abstract
The genus Acacia was adopted by Philip Miller in 1754 within a paper enclosing broad generic concepts and no group division of 24 African and American species (Maslin, Miller and Seigler, 2003). Throughout the last 250 years, many genera have been separated or added to the core genus. Acacia is presently described as a cosmopolitan genus including up to 1350 globally distributed species, with the largest concentration of species appearing in Australia (Maslin, Miller and Seigler, 2003). Acacia littoralis, commonly known as long-leaf wattle, is an erect shrub or small tree with pale yellow to white flowers that are produced in linear spikes and present between January and May (Temperate Plants Database, 2022). The particular epithet is in reference to the narrow, long phyllodes of this species. Acacia littoralis occurs in coastal areas of south-eastern Queensland and New South Wales, inhabiting the borders of rainforests in wet or dry sclerophyll forest (Temperate Plants Database, 2022). This species has a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen to be utilised as a fertiliser for Acacialittoralis and other nearby plants (Temperate Plants Database, 2022). Following fire, the species regenerate from their large quantities of seed and rapidly establish cover (Christensen et al, 1981). These Acacia seeds are harvested by Aboriginal communities as a source of food (Lister et al, 1996) and the tannin containing, astringent bark is often used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, and wounds (Temperate Plants Database, 2022). The plant is also gathered for local use of its wood (Temperate Plants Database, 2022).
Details
- Title
- USC Plant Profile - Fabaceae, Acacia longissima
- Authors
- Abbi Thompson (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Location
- Latitude: -26.719 Longitude: 153.061; USC Sippy Downs Campus bordering the parking area across from the bustop.
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Date collected
- 15-Mar-2022
- Date published
- 2022
- Copyright note
- © The Author. Reproduced with permission.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99708798502621
- Output Type
- Assignment/exercise; Plant Profile Sheet
- Teaching and Learning
- ENS221; Plant Diversity and Ecology
Metrics
58 File views/ downloads
291 Record Views