Acacia auriculiformis (Akashmoni,Acacia, wattle)

 

Acacia

Botanical Description

Acacia auriculiformis (Akashmoni) is a tree of 8-20 m in height, heavily branched, and with a short, bent, or forked bole. On favorable sites, it grows up to 25-35 m tall and 80-100 am in diameter with a straight single stem. It has dense foliage and an open, spreading crown. The bark is grey or brown.

Leaves 10–16 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide with 3-8 parallel nerves, thick, leathery, and curved.

Flowers are 8 cm long and in pairs, creamy yellow and sweet-scented. Pods are about 6.5 x 1.5 cm, flat, cartilaginous, glaucous, transversely veined with undulate margins. They are initially straight but on maturity become twisted with irregular spirals. Seeds are transversely held in the pod, broadly ovate to elliptical, about 4-6 x 3–4 mm. At Kozhikode (Kerala, India), flocks of jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), grey-headed myna (Saturnia malabarica) and red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) have been observed to feed on the seeds with the aril that are exposed when the pods are split. These birds also probably help in the dispersal of seeds

Phenology

Akashmoni is an evergreen species. Flowering usually starts within 2-3 years after planting (Pinyopusarek 1990). It flowers profusely and the yellow flower spikes are found on the individual trees twice a year. There is usually a distinct peak flowering season in the month of August-September. 

Natural Distributer

Akashmoni is endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.