Acacia mearnsii De Wild. (as ‘mearnsi’), Pl. Bequaert . 3: 61 (1925)
Black Wattle
Spreading shrub or mostly erect tree to 10 (–16) m high. Bark of trunk smooth, corrugated at base when old, black or grey. Branchlets angular with short ridges, non-glaucous, densely velvety-tomentose. Young foliage-tips yellow or greenish yellow, velvety-pubescent. Leaves subcoriaceous, dark green and glossy above, concolorous or slightly paler beneath; petiole above pulvinus 0.5–2.5 cm long, shortly ridged, with an orbicular grey-tomentellose gland at base of or to 8 mm below lowest pair of pinnae; rachis mostly 3–13.5 cm long, with a similar gland at base of each pair of pinnae, usually with 1 or 2 often confluent interjugary glands between some or all pairs of pinnae; pinnae 7–31 pairs, 1.5–6 cm long; pinnules (16–) 25–78 pairs, cultrate to narrowly oblong or slightly spathulate, 1–3.5 mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm wide, with inconspicuous midvein, glabrous above, densely grey-puberulous below, base broadly rounded, auriculate, apex broadly rounded, truncate or obtuse. Inflorescences in axillary racemes, or terminal or axillary false-panicles. Heads 20–38-flowered, pale yellow or cream-coloured. Pods barely constricted between seeds to submoniliform or irregularly more deeply indented, 3–15 cm long, 4.5–8 mm wide, coriaceous, black, red-brown or dark brown, slightly scabrous, grey-puberulous. 2 n = 26, B.G.Briggs, on E.F.Constable 6876 (NSW).
Occurs in N.S.W. S from Central Mangrove along the coast and tablelands (including the A.C.T.), widespread in Vic. and Tas., also in S.A. S of Naracoorte. There are naturalised records for N.S.W., the Mt Lofty Ra., S.A., and south-west W.A. Grows in open forest, woodland or tussock grassland, in gullies or on hillsides, in sandy or gravelly clay soils. Flowers mainly Oct.–Dec.; fruits Oct.–Feb.
Acacia mearnsii is the principal source of tanning bark in Africa where it is cultivated in plantations. This species was described by E.DeWildman believing that it was native to East Africa. The remaining syntype, from the vicinity of Nairobi, British East Africa, 26 May 1909- 1 June 1909, E.A.Mearns 249 (BR) is Acacia dealbata .
Related to A. loroloba and A. parramattensis .
Type of accepted name
Vicinity of Thika [in Kenya], British East Africa, 6- 7 Sept. 1909, E.A.Mearns 1092 ; lecto: BR, fide J.P.M.Brenan & R.Melville, Kew Bull. 14: 38 (1960); isolecto: BM n.v. , fide J.H.Ross, Bothalia 11: 465 (1975).
Synonymy
Racosperma mearnsii (De Wild.) Pedley, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 92: 249 (1986). Type: as for accepted name.
[ Acacia decurrens B [ var. ] mollis auct. non Lindl.: J.P.M.Brenan & R.Melville, Kew Bull. 14: 37–41 (1960)].
[ Acacia mollissima auct. non Willd.: G.Bentham, London J. Bot . 1: 385 (1842)]
Illustrations
D.J.Boland et al ., Forest Trees of Australia 4th edn, 163 (1984); D.A.Morrison & S.J.Davies, in G.J.Harden (ed.), Fl. New South Wales 2: 390 (1991); D.J.E.Whibley & D.E.Symon, Acacias S. Australia 2nd edn, 310 (1992).
Representative collections
W.A.: northern outskirts of Nannup, G.J.Keighery 9469 (PERTH). S.A.: Mons Gambir [Mount Gambier], F.Mueller (MEL). N.S.W.: near Burrewarra Pt, S of Bateman’s Bay, L.A.Craven 631 (B, CANB, K, MEL, UC, US); 3.2 km S of Yerrinbool, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW52614). A.C.T.: lower NE slopes of Black Mtn, Canberra , R.Pullen 10364 (CANB, NSW). Vic.: Grampians, 4 km N of Zumsteins, S.T.W.Parfett 78 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); E of Lakes Entrance, A.N.Rodd 4292 (HO, MEL, NSW). Tas.: Clark Is., Baudinet (MEL); 6 miles [9.7 km] from St. Helen’s, 7 Dec. 1965, M.E.Phillips (CANB, NSW).
(MDT & PGK)
The information presented here originally appeared on the WATTLE CD-ROM which was jointly published by the Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, and the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth; it was produced by CSIRO Publishing from where it is available for purchase. The WATTLE custodians are thanked for allowing us to post this information here.
