Myrtle Wattle
Acacia myrtifolia
The 'leaves' are actually phyllodes—flattened leaf stalks that evolved to reduce water loss in harsh climates.
- Scientific name
- Acacia myrtifolia
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Acacia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open forests, woodlands, and coastal heathlands, often in sandy or well-drained soils.
- Diet
- Autotrophic; performs photosynthesis and fixes nitrogen via root nodules.
- Range
- Australia (New South Wales), Australia (Victoria), Australia (South Australia), Australia (Western Australia), Australia (Tasmania)
- Size
- 0.5 to 3 meters in height
- Lifespan
- 10-15 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Land clearing, inappropriate fire regimes, and invasive weed competition.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This plant is safe to observe closely. Avoid picking flowers to ensure seed production and respect local regulations in protected areas.
Acacia myrtifolia , known colloquially as myrtle wattle or red-stemmed wattle , is a species of Acacia native to Australia. Its specific epithet 'myrtle-leaved' is derived from the Latin myrtus 'myrtle', and folium 'leaf'. It is a small shrub 0.3–3 m (0.98–9.84 ft) in height, and 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) spread. It has distinctive red branches and lanceolate green phyllodes, 2–9 cm (1-3½ in) in length and 0.5–3 cm wide. Its flowers are creamy white or pale yellow and appear in winter and spring....
Photo: guymer, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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