Acacia auriculiformis    

Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth.

Family       : Fabaceae (Subfamily: Mimosoideae)

Common Name : അക്കേഷ്യ(Mal)

 Ear-Pod Wattle(Eng)

IUCN Status  Least concern (LC) -

Earleaf Acacia is an evergreen, unarmed tree to 15 m (50 ft) tall, with compact spread, often multi-stemmed; young growth glaucous. Leaves alternate, simple, reduced to phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks), these blade-like, slightly curved, 5-8 in long. Flowers in loose, yellow-orange spikes at leaf axils or in clusters of spikes at stem tips; flowers mimosa-like, with numerous free stamens. Fruit a flat, oblong pod, twisted at maturity. It's roots are very strong and can break through concrete, ruining sidewalks and driveways and pushing out other vegetation. Used for the cultivation of the lac insect in India. This plant is native to southeast Asia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinia and Australia. 

Trees, to 20 m high, bark brown; branchlets terete, glabrous. Phyllodes alternate, 7-20 x 1-5 cm, linear, falcate or falcate-elliptic-falcate, base attenuate, apex subacute or obtuse, margin entire, glabrous, coriaceous; 3-6 parallel ribs from the base, palmate, prominent, intercostae reticulate; petiole 8-20 mm long, pulvinate, slender, glabrous. Flowers bisexual, yellow, 2.5 mm, in axillary spikes, to 4-8 cm long. Calyx 0.5-1 x 0.8-1 mm, campanulate; lobes 5. Corolla ca. 2 mm long; lobes 5, 1.5-1.8 mm, lobes lanceolate. Stamens many, 3-4 mm long. Ovary subsessile, glabrous; styles 3-4 mm long. Pod, 3-10 x 0.5-1 cm, flat, glabrous, woody and much twisted in irregular coils; seeds black, 0.6 x 0.5 cm, with orange-yellow coloured aril.

Use: It has been planted for fuelwood production, ornamental purpose and shade in many tropical areas in the world.

Note: 

• Allergies to the acacia tree are triggered when the pollen generated from the tree's flowers are inhaled. Pollen is generally released during the summer, when the tree pollinates and flowers sprout. Allergies are caused by inhaling or letting the pollen enter the body through the eyes, mouth, or nose.

• Government of karnataka banned planting eucalyptus, acacia trees owing to impact on ground water level

Distribution : Native of Tropical Australia

Flowering & Fruiting : Throughout the year