Thursday 1 July 2021

PRICKLY WATTLE

Acacia paradoxa is a plant in the family Fabaceae. Its common names include kangaroo acacia, kangaroo thorn, prickly wattle, hedge wattle and paradox acacia.

The large shrub or tree up to 2 to 4 metres tall and has a similar width, it has ribbed branchlets that are often arched downward. It is dense with foliage; the leaves are actually enlarged petioles known as phyllodes. They are crinkly and the new ones are covered in hairs. The erect phyllodes are asymmetric and have a lanceolate shape and are around 30 millimetres in length and 7 mm wide. The bush is also full of long spines.

It usually flowers between August and November producing an axillary flower-spike with small, bright yellow spherical flower heads and the fruits are brown pods 4 to 7 centimetres long. The hard black seeds within have an oblong shape and are about 6 mm in length and half as wide. The spiny stipules that grow at the base of the phyllodes deter livestock from feeding on or too close to the plant.

This year, this wattle has bloomed early, as have a lot of other flowers. We have had a warmer June than usual with much rain.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

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