Pithecollobium dulce, Pithecollobium lanceolatum, Goldmania
foetida, Pithecollobium unguis
Varieties: A.
armata; A. baileyana var. Purpurea; A. dealbata;
A.
longifolia; A. mucronata; A. pravissima; A. retinodes;
A. riceana.
Description: This group consists of about 1,000 species that are found
in tropical and subtropical regions, especially in Australia, Africa and Mexico.
These evergreens should not be confused with the trees and shrubs commonly known
as acacia, which belong to the group Robinia. These tender evergreens are
totally different and are commonly known as Mimosas and Wattles. The Australian
types are called Wattles because their lumber was used by early settlers in the
wattle-and-daub method of building homes.
The attractive leaves of these plants are usually bipinnate,
giving them a feathery appearance. Some, however, are phyllodes; these are
expanded, flattened leaf stems that carry out the same functions of true leaves.
Wattles mostly bear flowers in the winter or spring. The tiny yellow flowers are
produced in small, fluffy, round- or bottlebrush-shaped clusters.
A.
armata (Kangaroo Thorn) is a large, thorny, dense shrub with small,
slender, dark green phyllodes. In the spring, the length of the branches are
clothed with tons of yellow flowers.
A. baileyana var. Purpurea is
a large shrub or small tree with pretty, feathery leaves that are deep purple
when young, contrasting beautifully with the older, blue-green leaves.
A. pravissima (Ovens Wattle) forms a small tree or large shrub
with blue-green, triangular phyllodes. Each phyllode is equipped with a single
thorn on its under side. Tons of small clusters of yellow flowers are borne
early in the spring. Some of these plants are valued for their timber such as
A. homalophylla (Myall Wood),
A. melanoxylon
(Australian Blackwood),
A. decurrens dealbata (Silver
Wattle),
and A. acuminata (Raspberry Jam Wood).
The hard,
durable wood from some is used in different countries for building purposes,
making furniture, tool handles and much more. Some Acacias are valued for the
tannin in their bark or wood. Gum Arabic is a gum that exudes from the stems
and branches of A. nilotica; this plant is found wild in the dry
areas of tropical Africa and India. This gum is used for dyeing and printing.
A perfume is obtained from the flowers of A. Farnesiana. This plant is
grown commercially in southern France.
Guamuchil - Acacia Link