Botanical art
Common names
Baratta Wattle
Etymology
Acacia from the Greek 'akakia' and derived from 'ake' or 'akis' meaning a sharp point or thorn and 'akazo' meaning to sharpen. Dioscorides, the Greek physician and botanist used the word in the 1st century AD for the Egyptian thorn tree, Acacia arabica. Barattensis refers to the Baratta Head Station, where this species was first discovered.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and restricted to the eastern Flinders Ranges and just into the Eastern region around the 'Baratta' Homestead area. Native. Very rare in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Eastern
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect, somewhat diffuse, spreading, viscid, aromatic shrubs to 3 m high, with a number of slender branches arising from near ground level. Branches slender, erect angular and very viscid towards their apices, less viscid on older stems and often covered with a blackish sooty substance. Leaves narrow-linear, compressed to 10 cm long and 1.5 mm broad; erect, mostly slightly curved with 3-veined on each face, viscid, sticky and shiny, with a resinous odour . Small gland on upper margin approximately 2-3mm above the base. Inflorescences simple and axillary, solitary or twin with globular, pale yellow flower-heads. Flowering between April and December. Fruits are dark brown, flat, straight or slightly curved pods to 15 cm long and 3.5 mm wide, viscid when young. Margins thickened and straw coloured, constricted between the seeds. Seeds are hard dark brown to black, ovoid to oblong seeds to 6 mm long and 2 mm wide. Seed embryo type is investing.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and January. Collect mature pods that are turning brown with hard, dark seeds inside. Place the pods in a tray and leave to dry for 1-2 weeks or until the pods begin to split. Then rub the dried pods to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From two collections, the seed viability was high, at 85% and 100%. This species has physical dormancy that needs to be overcome for the seed to germinate (e.g. nicking or softening the seed coat).
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 1,040 (8.56 g) 1,040 (8.56 g) | 80+ | 22-Nov-2009 | KHB317 Flinders Ranges | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |
| BGA | 700 (5.15 g) | 20+ | 10-Dec-2009 | KHB340 Eastern | 1-Jun-2010 | 85% | -18°C |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.