Acacia decurrens

Green Wattle at Theodore, ACT

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Identification history

Acacia decurrens	24 Jun 2019	MichaelMulvaney
Acacia mearnsii	8 Feb 2019	MichaelMulvaney
Acacia mearnsii	7 Feb 2019	MichaelBedingfield
Acacia decurrens	7 Feb 2019	owenh

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11 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:

8 Feb 2019

The leaflets are far enough apart to say it could be decurrens. However, the diagnostic is the decurrent leaves (bases continuing down the stems) creating winged ridges on the stems.

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

8 Feb 2019

Acacia mearnsii is quite common in Tugg. Hill Res.

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

8 Feb 2019

The Acacia mearnsii on Tugg. Hill flower in November and have a rich fragrance. Sometimes I catch the fragrance on the wind at my place which is 500 metres away !

owenh wrote:

8 Feb 2019

Many thanks Betty/Michael. I should have mentioned the pinnules are approx 10mm plus in length. All A. mearnsii pinnules I've seen have been much smaller. Any advice?

BettyDonWood wrote:

8 Feb 2019

You are right. The maximum length is 4 mm. I will have a think about it tomorrow.

owenh wrote:

8 Feb 2019

Thank you for your help Betty. Will return to site this afternoon and obtain exact measurements, photo any old seed pods (if still around) etc. and get back to you.

BettyDonWood wrote:

8 Feb 2019

You might like to look at https://apps.lucidcentral.org/plants_se_nsw/
before you go, so you know what to look for. This is an earlier (computer) version of the app I am beta testing.

owenh wrote:

9 Feb 2019

Michael M: thanks - but I would like to query your confirmation as Acacia mearnsii for this one.
From various sources including http://worldwidewattle.com/imagegallery/image.php?p=0&l=m&id=17958&o=1 :
*Acacia mearnsii: Leaflets (pinnules) 1-3.5mm long, broadly rounded, jugary gland at base of all pinnae, interjugary glands often between some or all pinnae. Under leaf very hairy.
*My submission as per images: Leaflets (pinnules) - newer growth: pinnules 8-11mm long, mature growth: pinnules 11-14mm long. Jugary glands at base of all pinnae only, no interjugary glands. Under leaf hairless.
I am not able to submit a comparison image which would show the vast difference in sizes between the local A. mearnsii and the submission as I do not hold a collectors permit. This is the only specimen I have as yet come across in this area.
Betty: Thank you for the link - I was out there early this morning.
Appreciate any advice.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

9 Feb 2019

The clincher that I am looking for in Acacia decurrens are the ridges that occur along the stems shown very well in one of your easier sightings. https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4192144. That said wattles do hybridise and and recognising hybrids can be tricky and I now think this is probably what we have in this case - I can add you to the CNM collecting permit if you email me your address to michael.mulvaney@act.gov.au

owenh wrote:

9 Feb 2019

Thanks for the advice Michael.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

25 Jun 2019

Owen dropped off a couple of specimens from this plant to the ANBG and received the following advice from Dave Albrecht concerning same:

Hello Owen
Thanks for submitting the specimen and photograph of the plant of Acacia decurrens (Green Wattle). We’ll retain the specimen for the herbarium collection. This species is distinctive in having prominently winged branchlets decurrent with the petiole bases, jugary glands but no interjugary glands, and green usually hairless pinnules.
All the best,
Dave
David Albrecht
Plant Identification and Liaison Officer | Australian National Herbarium
Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research
National Research Collections Australia
CSIRO

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