Acacia floribunda

{{Short description|Species of legume}}

{{Speciesbox

|name=Gossamer wattle

|image =Acacia floribunda CFGk365.jpg

|genus = Acacia

|species = floribunda

|authority = (Vent.) Willd.

|range_map = Acacia-floribunda-range-map.png

|synonyms = * Acacia angustifolia Lodd.

  • Acacia floribunda (Vent.) Willd. var. latifolia Benth.
  • Acacia intermedia Hook.
  • Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd. var. floribunda (Vent.)Benth.
  • Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd. var. floribunda (Vent.)F.Muell.
  • Acacia retinodes Schltdl. var. floribunda (Vent.)H.Vilm.
  • Mimosa floribunda Vent.
  • Phyllodoce floribunda (Vent.) Link
  • Racosperma floribundum (Vent.) Pedley{{cite web

|url=http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?version~10.01&LegumeWeb&tno~19923&genus~Acacia&species~floribunda

|title=Acacia floribunda - ILDIS LegumeWeb

|publisher=www.ildis.org

|access-date=2008-03-10

}}

}}

File:Acacia floribundaDistMap366.png

Acacia floribunda is a perennial evergreen[http://www.highlandsnsw.com.au/nature/native_flora.html Native Flora of the Southern Highlands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329210212/http://www.highlandsnsw.com.au/nature/native_flora.html |date=March 29, 2007 }} shrub or tree. It is a species of wattle native to New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, but is cultivated extensively, and has naturalised in South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, and also in Indonesia, Mauritius and northern New Zealand. Common names for it include gossamer wattle, weeping acacia and white sallow wattle. It grows up to 6m in height, but there is a commercial form available which only grows to about 1m tall. Its cream-colored flowers occur in the early Spring (August to September in the southern hemisphere).[http://www.anbg.gov.au/acacia/species/A-floribunda.html Australian National Botanic Gardens]

Uses

In landscaping, Acacia floribunda is very useful for controlling erosion, especially in gullies. It is also useful as a hedge or windbreak, around bogs and ponds and as a shade tree.[http://www.organicmatters.com.au/acacia-floribun.htm Organic Matters] It is sold frequently as an ornamental landscaping plant because it is fast-growing and has many beautiful flowers.[http://www.uq.net.au/~zzlstein/acacia/acgarden.html Australian Acacias in the Garden]

The tree is used for its nitrogen fixing properties by interspersing it with fruit trees.[http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1884872.htm Gardening Australia Factsheet: Permaculture Paradise]

A. floribunda foliage has some use as fodder for livestock such as goats.

Phytochemistry

The phyllodes, twigs and bark of this species contains the compound NN-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (0.4-0.5%) and other substituted tryptamines. S. Voogelbriender, Garden Of Eden (2009) EGA leaflet (2023) - https://www.entheogenesis.org/ega-resources/reference-guide-for-common-wattles

Allergen

Some individuals are allergic to A. floribunda pollen.{{cite journal|vauthors=Akpinar-Elci M, Elci OC, Odabasi A |title=Work-related asthma-like symptoms among florists |journal=Chest |volume=125 |issue=6 |pages=2336–9 |date=June 2004 |pmid=15189959 |doi=10.1378/chest.125.6.2336 |url=http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/125/6/2336 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083725/http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/125/6/2336 |archive-date=2007-09-29 }} About 1.2% of the population not closely exposed to the pollen are allergic, but 31% of floriculturists are allergic to it, seemingly because of their increased exposure.{{cite journal |vauthors=Ariano R, Panzani RC, Amedeo J |title=Pollen allergy to mimosa (Acacia floribunda) in a Mediterranean area: an occupational disease |journal=Ann Allergy |volume=66 |issue=3 |pages=253–6 |date=March 1991 |pmid=2006774 }}

Cultivation

Acacia floribunda can be propagated from seed by treating the seeds in near-boiling water to penetrate the hard outer seed coating. Alternatively, the outer coatings of the seeds can be sanded down somewhat to allow water in.

Gallery

Acacia floribunda inflorescences 7th Brigade Park Chermside L1090955.jpg|A. floribunda inflorescences, 7th Brigade Park, Chermside, Queensland.

Acacia floribunda inflorescences 7th Brigade Park Chermside L1040928.jpg|Inflorescences

Acacia floribunda inflorescences 7th Brigade Park Chermside L1090954.jpg|Inflorescences

References