Encyclopedia of Stanford Trees

Acacia dealbata. SILVER WATTLE. Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland.
A. decurrens. GREEN WATTLE. New South Wales, Queensland.
LEGUMINOSAE (Pea family)

The brilliant yellow displays in February and March, which distinctly precede the coming of spring and add color to the winter’s end, are mainly from these species.

The feathery leaves are divided into a dozen or so pinnae each with three dozen or so pinnules about 1/6 inch long. At the point of attachment to the branch, the leaf stalks of green wattle run on as definite ridges on the branch. Green wattle also has a rough, dark or black trunk. Many of the campus trees do not exhibit the silvery-gray foliage of silver wattle, but neither do they possess the prominently ridged stems and dark trunk of green wattle. There is a large leaning specimen on Governor’s Avenue where it makes a corner at Lake Lagunita and substantial numbers can be found in the area of Frenchman’s and Gerona Roads. There is one on Campus Drive at the southeast corner with Lomita Drive, and it is also reported on Jasper Ridge.

Illus.: Both trees have glands on the leaf main axis at the junction of each pair of first leaflets, as shown. (The leaves of these trees are twice-pinnately compound). The specimen is A. dealbata (twigs finely hairy, more or less angular without wings) on the west side of Lake Lagunita.

Other campus Acacias: Acacia baileyana | Acacia dealbata | Acacia longifolia | Acacia melanoxylon | Acacia notes | Acacia pravissima | Acacia redolens | Acacia retinodes | Acacia verticillata

Illustrations (links open new windows): compond leaf and fruit

Name derivation, genus | species Greek akis, a sharp point | dealbata: whitened (young shoots and leaves)

Botanical name index | Common name index | Family