Acacia myrtifolia
Encyclopedia
Acacia myrtifolia, known colloquially as Myrtle Wattle or Red-stemmed Wattle, is a species of Acacia
native to Australia
. Its specific epithet 'myrtle-leaved' is derived from the Latin
myrtus 'myrtle', and folium 'leaf'. It is a small shrub 0.3–3 m (1–10 ft) in height, and 2–3 m (7–10 ft) spread. It has distinctive red branches and lanceolate green phyllodes
, 2–9 cm (1-3½ in) in length and 0.5–3 cm wide. Its flowers are creamy white or pale yellow and appear in winter and spring. These are followed by 4–7 cm (1½-3 in) long curved seed pods.
It was one of the earliest plants described in the colony, having been illustrated by James Sowerby
.
.jpg)
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Its specific epithet 'myrtle-leaved' is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
myrtus 'myrtle', and folium 'leaf'. It is a small shrub 0.3–3 m (1–10 ft) in height, and 2–3 m (7–10 ft) spread. It has distinctive red branches and lanceolate green phyllodes
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
, 2–9 cm (1-3½ in) in length and 0.5–3 cm wide. Its flowers are creamy white or pale yellow and appear in winter and spring. These are followed by 4–7 cm (1½-3 in) long curved seed pods.
It was one of the earliest plants described in the colony, having been illustrated by James Sowerby
James Sowerby
James Sowerby was an English naturalist and illustrator. Contributions to published works, such as A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland or English Botany, include his detailed and appealing plates...
.