Acacia colei (introduced)

Acacia colei Maslin & L.A.J.Thomson (syn: Acacia holosericea auct. non G.Don);

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia; Introduced into: India as per POWO;

Acacia colei is a perennial bush or tree native to Australia and southern Asia. A common name for it is Cole’s Wattle. It grows to a height of up to 9 m. Acacia colei blooms from June through July and the flowers are bright yellow.^[2]Its uses include environmental management, forage and wood.^[1] The seeds are good-tasting^[3] and are potentially useful as food for humans. The results of tests in Nigeria for the feasibility of raising the tree as a drought-resistant food crop came out very positively.^[4]

(From Wikipedia on 29.6.15)
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Acacia (Wattle) for ID :: May MK002 : 13 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (10)

Please help me to confirm if this is Acacia melanoxylon?

Habitat: open scrub forest

Date: 27 April 2015

Place: Kancheepuram dist., (Chennai outskirts) TN Alt.: 14 m asl

It is perhaps Acacia holosericea, an introduced species in Tamil Nadu.

Thanks, …

As per ILDIS, Acacia holosericea G. Don is an introduced species in Tamilnadu & West Bengal.

Acacia holosericea A.Cunn. (is a synonym of Acacia mangium Willd. ) is shown in the Database of Flora of Tamilnadu (Distribution in Delhi & Pondicherry as per ILDIS)

I am not aware of the current name but this phyllode-bearing Acacia species is unmistakable by the markedly flattened branchlets. Introduced by the Planters of Tamil Nadu. I have also seen it in Goa.

Pl check for Acacia longifolia. The fruits of Acacia holosericea /A. mangium are quite different : http://www.pioneercatchment.org.au/plants-database/acacia-holosericea- The fruits in your photograph is long and slightly curved. To unfold the ID of your Acacia the buds need to unfold !

Here the pods are flattened which rules out A. longifolia having terete pods.

Recently I had an interaction with Dr. Bruce Maslin, World Expert of Acacias. He is of the opinion that Acacia holosericea is currently an accepted name.

That specimen cannot be Acacia melanoxylon because the flowers are in axillary spikes (not heads in racemes) and the pods are wrong.
As best I can tell your specimen is Acacia colei Maslin & L.A.J.Thomson var. colei. The pods and inflorescences look right. If I could see the phyllode nervature then I could confirm this identification.
I have attached my description of this species. You can also see more information about it on the WorldWideWattle website at: http://www.worldwidewattle.com/speciesgallery/species-intro.php?id=17013.
Acacia colei is a relative of Acacia holosericea (in previous years it was confused with A. holosericea). It is one of the species that in recent years has been trialled in many o/s countries for a variety if utilisation purposes; its seeds are used as a human food. Is it invasive in India?

Attachments (1) – Maslin & Thomson (1992), Aus Syst Bot 5, Acacia colei.pdf

Hope that you are in receipt of the forwarded message from Dr. Bruce Maslin, relating to the identity of the present photographs. Hope that the matter is clarified now. However, as desired by Dr. Maslin, please attach high resolution images to enable him to see the leaf venation.

Thank you very much for the effort in sorting out the ID of this species. I will send the large original files of leaves to you in separate mails.

I tried to forward the message to Dr. Bruce but it is indeed bouncing back saying that the attachment is too heavy. Probably it exceeded the permissible limit. Anyway, we are now knowing the correct identity of this species. I am myself making the necessary corrections in the forthcoming publication of Flora of India.

Thanks for sending photographs of this new Acacia species. … s efforts to get the plant ID is laudable. This has helped us to find out the proper ID. Thanks to ….

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TSP-DEC2015-38-211: Images of Acacia colei (Fabaceae) : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (5)

It is my pleasure to share few images of Acacia colei (Fabaceae)

Habit: Small tree

Habitat: An escape in A.auriculiformis plantation

Sighting: Kadur, Chikmagalur, Karnataka, about 900 msl

Date: 10-12-2015

Wonderful. The species in now aggressively spreading in Tamil Nadu and under cultivation in Goa. Not recorded for Karnataka State so far. Earlier confused with Acacia holosericea.

Thanks … The proliferation may be attributed to contamination of A. auriculiformis seeds in the first place and to the resilience of A.colei

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Mimosaceae :: Acacia holosericea : 7 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (3)

Name: Acacia holosericea A.Cunn.

Family: Mimosaceae

Date: 25 Feb 2016

Place: Tirupathi hills, AP

Alt.: 120 m asl

It has been planted by the forest department.

Thanks, … As per The Plant List Ver. 1.1 & ILDIS, Acacia holosericea A.Cunn. is a synonym of Acacia mangium Willd.

I send you Acacia mangium for comparison. Attachments (2)

Perhaps Acacia colei once again. Minor leaf venation needs to be enlarged and seen in absence of the fruits.

efi pages on Acacia colei & Acacia mangium

For me ID by … is correct.

I am attaching herewith a publication which may be found helpful in determining the actual identity of the species introduced (from Australia), collected, identified and distributed (preserved) as Acacia holosericea in India.

Attachments (1) –

Maslin & Thomson (1992), Aus Syst Bot 5, Acacia colei.pdf- Re-appraisal of the Taxonomy of Acacia holosericea, Including the Description of a New Species, A. colei, and the Reinstatement of A. neurocarpa B. R. Maslin* and L. A. J. Thomson

Leaf pattern leads more close to Acacia colei Maslin & L.A.J.Thomson !

Acacia colei Maslin & L.A.J.Thomson Acacia holosericea A.Cunn. ex G.Don Acacia holosericea A.Cunn. ex G.Don