Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Acacia longifolia

Flowering stems (subsp. longifolia). Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra

Flowering stem (subsp. longifolia). Photographer Don Wood, eastern edge of Vincentia, Jervis Bay, NSW

Young pods and 'leaves' (subsp. longifolia). Australian Plant Image Index, photographer RG and FJ Richardson, Drysdale, Vic

Flowering stem (subsp. sophorae). Photographer Don Wood, Barragoot Lake south of Bermagui

Flower buds and 'leaves' (subsp. sophorae). Photographer Dane Wimbush, Bermagui

Young pods and 'leaves' (subsp. sophorae). Australian Plant Image Index, photographers RG and FJ Richardson, Wallington, Vic

Common name

subsp. longifolia: Sydney golden wattle, Sallow wattle

subsp. sophorae: Coastal wattle, Coast wattle

Family

Fabaceae

Where found

subsp. longifolia: Dry forest, woodland, heath, and disturbed sites, often near streams. Coast, ranges, and tablelands. Planted/naturalised in suburban Canberra.

subsp. sophorae: Heath and dry forest, on coastal headlands, sand dunes, and adjacent alluvial flats. Coast. Ranges west and south of Bega.

Notes

Tree or shrub to 10 m tall, or sprawling to prostrate. Fleshy seed stalks/arils. Bark smooth or finely fissured. Branchlets angled towards the tips, hairy, becoming hairless. 'Leaves' alternating up the stems, 5-22 cm long,  4-30 mm wide, more or less straight or sometimes slightly curved,  surfaces more or less hairless, several longitudinal veins prominent, tips pointed to blunt with a mucro. 1 marginal gland near the base. Flower heads bright yellow, cylindrical, 20-50 mm long, single or in pairs. Flowers Winter to Spring. Pods straight to strongly twisted.

Family was Mimosaceae. Hybridises with Acacia oxycedrus.

subsp. longifolia:  Erect or spreading shrub or tree 1–10 m high. 'Leaves' 5–22 cm long, mostly 4–20 mm wide, more than 7 times as long as broad, thin and pliable, erect or spreading, tips usually pointed or somewhat pointed. Pods more or less straight to curved, sometimes curled back or twisted on opening.

World Wide Wattle photos, line drawings and description:  http://worldwidewattle.com/imagegallery/image.php?p=0&l=l&id=17464&o=1

subsp. sophorae:  Prostrate or sprawling shrub 0.5–3 m high, sometimes taller. 'Leaves' 4–12 cm long, 10–30 mm wide, less than 5 times as long as broad, often thick and sometimes fleshy, usually yellow-green, tips somewhat pointed or blunt. Pods often coiled and twisted on opening.

World Wide Wattle photos, line drawings and description:  http://worldwidewattle.com/imagegallery/image.php?p=0&l=l&id=18597&o=1

PlantNET description of species and key to subspecies:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Acacia~longifolia  (accessed 27 April 2021)