Plants of
South Australia
South Australia
Botanical art
Prior names
Thouinia hemiglauca
Etymology
Atalya from 'atalay', the native name of Atalaya salicifolia in Timor. Hemiglauca from the Greek 'hemi' meaning half and 'glaucos' meaning silvery, bluish-green.
Distribution and status
Found in the north-east corner of South Australia in sandy soils in open woodlands in arid areas. Also found Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in all other states.
Herbarium regions: Lake Eyre, Eastern
NRM region: South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Glaucous shrub or tree to 5m high, glabrous except for the flowers. Leaves either paripinnate with 2-6 pairs of leaflets which are linear to oblong, entire to 20cm long and 2cm wide, or with leaves simple, oblong to ovate to 20 cm long. Flowers white in large panicles. Samara pubescent 3-4 cm long including the wing. Fruits are winged capsule to 4cm long including the wing, 2-3 joined together at the base. Seeds are dark-brown to red, globular seed to 5mm diameter.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and January. Collect mature capsules, those that are turning a pale straw colour and contain hard seed. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules by hand or with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the 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
