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  1. Russell_cumming__2013__acacia_uncifolia__flickr_cc
  2. Photoshop_russell_cumming__2013__acacia_uncifolia__flickr_cc Coast Wirilda_Russell Cumming_2013
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Coast Wirilda

Acacia uncifolia

Appearance

This ClimateWatch indicator species is supported by the ClimateWatch in Parks program and Barwon Coast

Barwon Coast logo

 

•Bushy shrub/tree that is between 5-10 metres in height. 

•Bark is smooth initially becoming fissured turning grey to brown.

•Reddish angular branches with flat, linear, ash-green, smooth phyllodes (flattened stems that resemble leaves) shooting off. These leaves are 6–12 cm long and 3–15 mm in width with hooked tips.

•Flowers are small, pale yellow with spherical heads. 

•Pods are thin, straight, 4-15cm x 6-9mm in size. 

(Tasmanian Government, 2008; Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation Victoria, 2018; Leon Costermans, 2006, Native trees and shrubs of South Eastern Australia)

 

What to Observe

•First fully open single flower 

•Full flowering (record all days)

•End of flowering (when 95% of the flowers have faded)

•No flowering

•Fruits/seeds (record all days)

 

ClimateWatch Science Advisor

We expect plants to start shooting and flowering earlier in the year as a result of climate change warming the Earth. They may also start appearing in new areas, as warmer temperatures enable them to live in environments that were previously too cold or unsuitable

Help scientists answer the question: "How are our animals, plants and ecosystems responding to climate change?"

 

When To Look

Flowering can occur year-round but especially October-November. (Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation Victoria, 2018)

Note: ClimateWatch is looking for any changes in the timing of these events so remember to keep a lookout all year!

 

Where To Look

Coastal areas of Victoria and South Australia. More specifically Kangaroo Island and southern Fleurieu Peninsula in S.A., near Torquay to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, and King and Flinders Islands in Tasmania. (Wattle Acacias of Australia, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy)

Note: ClimateWatch is looking for any changes outside of their known ranges so remember to keep a lookout beyond these regions too!

Acacia uncifoliga GBIF

Acacia Uncifolia distribution - GBIF

Sightings

References

VicFlora, 2018, Acacia uncifolia, VicFlora, https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/820b727a-dfe1-4df5-b805-61983db3d6b1 

Tasmanian Government, 2008, https://www.naturalvaluesatlas.tas.gov.au/downloadattachment?id=13732

Wattle Acacias of Australia, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, https://apps.lucidcentral.org/wattle/text/entities/acacia_uncifolia.htm

Leon Costermans, 2006, Native trees and shrubs of South Eastern Australia, Page 319, Reed New Holland Publishers Australia

Botanic Gardens & State Herbarium, Review of Acacia retinodes and closely related species, http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/515d9f4f-8269-43af-9802-9f8600cbf56d/JABG21P095_OLeary.pdf

 

Links

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  1. What Else?

    Closely resembles Acacia provincialis and Acacia retinodes, and previously treated as a variety of the latter. A. retinodes is now regarded to be endemic to the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. 

    A. uncifolia may be distinguished from A. provincialis by its suckering habit, smaller phyllodes (leaves) with a distinctly uncinate (hooked) tip, and smaller flower heads (Flora of VIC; Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation Victoria, 2018)

     

  1. Did You Know?

    Coast Wirilda grows in sandy soils derived from calcareous limestone in coastal areas, heathy scrub and dry open woodland.

    Coast Wirilda is listed under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.

    Previously named Acacia retinodes