Acacia Aneura LC Taxonomic Authority: Benth
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Acacia aneura LC Taxonomic Authority: Benth. Global Assessment Regional Assessment Region: Global Endemic to region Synonyms Common Names Acacia aneura var. la J.M.Black MULGA English (Primary) Racosperma aneuru (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Pedley Upper Level Taxonomy Kingdom: PLANTAE Phylum: TRACHEOPHYTA Class: MAGNOLIOPSIDA Order: FABALES Family: LEGUMINOSAE Lower Level Taxonomy Rank: Infra- rank name: Plant Hybrid Subpopulation: Authority: Ten varieties are recognised by Pedley in the Flora of Australia Vol. 11B (Orchard and Wilson 2001). It consists of a large complex of variable integrading and hybridising forms, some included in these ten varieties, others regarded as separate species: A. ayersiana, A. brachystachya, A. craspedocarpa, A. minyura, A. paraneura and A. ramulosa. These are distinguished mainly by leaf and pod characteristics (Moore 2005). General Information Distribution Acacia aneura is native to Australia distributed in the states of Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. Range Size Elevation Biogeographic Realm Area of Occupancy: Upper limit: 300 Afrotropical Extent of Occurrence: Lower limit: 0 Antarctic Map Status: Depth Australasian Upper limit: Neotropical Lower limit: Oceanian Depth Zones Palearctic Shallow photic Bathyl Hadal Indomalayan Photic Abyssal Nearctic Population Total population size is not known but this is a common species and consists of a large complex of variable integrating and hybridising forms (Moore 2005). Total Population Size Minimum Population Size: Maximum Population Size: Habitat and Ecology A bushy shrub or tree, 1.2–10 m high widespread, occurring in most vegetation communities in inland Australia in a variety of habitat and soils. It often grows in pure stands forming open forests, woodlands and shrublands or predominant in vegetation with eucalypts, often with shrubby understorey (Orchard and Wilson 2001). Natural populations extend over an area of 1.5 million km2, chiefly in climates where the annual rainfall is 200-250 mm and range in elevation from sea level to 300 m. A. aneura can live for more than 50 years, it is drought-tolerant, but very fire sensitive (Orwa et al. 2009). It is an important fodder plant but is easily killed by severe lopping and burning. It is dormant during drought but recovers quickly after rain. It requires follow-up rain at the right time of the year for seeds to mature (Moore 2005). System Movement pattern Crop Wild Relative Terrestrial Freshwater Nomadic Congregatory/Dispersive Is the species a wild relative of a crop? Marine Migratory Altitudinally migrant Growth From Definition Shrub - large Perennial shrub (>1m), also termed a Phanerophyte (>1m) Tree - size unknow Tree (any size), also termed a Phanerophyte (>1m) Threats There are no direct threats known to this widespread species, however changes in fire regimes and increases in grazing presures could become important factors for the survival of this species. Past Present Future 1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced) 1.7 Fires 2 Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) 2.2 Predators 7 Natural disasters 7.4 Wildfire 10 Human disturbance 10.5 Fire 13 None Conservation Measures A. aneura is not listed as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is known to occur in several protected areas across its range. The seeds for this species have been collected as part of the Millennium Seed Bank project. Seeds are located at: Wakehurst Place, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) and Mount Annan Botanic Garden, New South Wales (Australia). The degree of variability within the species and integrading forms especially with other species towards the west of its range requires detailed investigation, both in the field and in the herbarium (Orchard and Wilson 2001). In Place Needed 3 Research actions 3.1 Taxonomy 4 Habitat and site-based actions 4.4 Protected areas 5 Species-based actions 5.7 Ex situ conservation actions 5.7.2 Genome resource bank Countries of Occurrence PRESENCE ORIGIN Year Breeding Non- Passage Possibly ExtinctPresence Native Introduced Re- Vagrant Origin Round Season breeding migrant extinct uncertain Introduced uncertain only season only Australia New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Western Australia India Kenya Sudan United States General Habitats Score Description Major Importance 2 Savanna 1UnsetSuitable 2.1 Savanna - Dry1Unset Suitable 3 Shrubland 1UnsetSuitable 3.8 Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation1Unset Suitable Species Utilisation Species is not utilised at all Purpose / Type of Use Subsistence National International 1. Food - human 12. Handicrafts, jewellery, decorations, curios, etc. 16. Other 2. Food - animal 3. Medicine - human and veterinary 7. Fuel 9. Construction/structural materials Once used by Aboriginal people to make spears and long narrow shields called 'mulgas' and also one of the most important plant food sources. The seeds and pods were ground into an edible paste, the sap made into a sweet drink, or used as a resin for joining tool-parts and repairing cracks. Mulga was also used for its healing properties for colds and flu-like illness and in postnatal care. Mulga wood was also used extensively by the early settlers, particularly valuable for fencing, the production of charcoal and for building (Weber 1999). It is currently used in horticulture and apiculture as it is an important pollen producing species, important to beekeepers (Orwa et al. 2009) Trend in the level of wild offtake/harvest in relation to total wild population numbers over the last five years: Trend in the amount of offtake/harvest produced through domestication/cultivation over the last five years: CITES status: Not listed IUCN Red Listing Red List Assessment:(using 2001 IUCN system) Least Concern (LC) Red List Criteria: Date Last Seen (only for EX, EW or Possibly EX species): Is the species Possibly Extinct? Possibly Extinct Candidate? Rationale for the Red List Assessment A. aneura is a widespread species occurring in most vegetation communities in inland Australia.This long lived shurb-tree and consists of a large complex of variable integrading and hybridising forms. It is generally the dominant or co-dominant species in shurblands or woodlands and despite its large range it is easily killed by severe lopping and burning. It is currently listed as Least Concern. Reason(s) for Change in Red List Category from the Previous Assessment: Genuine Change Nongenuine Change No Change Genuine (recent) New information Taxonomy Same category Genuine (since first assessment) Knowledge of Criteria Criteria Revisio and criteria Incorrect data used Other Same category but previously change in criteria Current Population Trend: Stable Date of Assessment: 09/09/2010 Name(s) of the Assessor(s): Malcolm, P. Evaluator(s): Notes: % population decline in the past: Time period over which the past decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): % population decline in the future: Time period over which the future decline has been measured for applying Criterion A or C1 (in years or generations): Number of Locations: Severely Fragmented: Number of Mature Individuals: Bibliography A.E. Orchard and A.J.G. Wilson, 2001, Mimosaceae, Acacia part 1, Flora of Australia Volume 11A, , ABRS, Canberra Moore, P., 2005, A guide to plants of inland Australia, , Reed New Holland, Sydney MSBP, 2010, Millennium Seed Bank Project. Seed Bank Database, , Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Orwa, C., Mutua, A., Kindt, R., Jamnadass, R. and Simons, A., 2009, Agroforestree Database:a tree reference and selection guide version 4.0, , , Weber, H., 1999, Mulga, Australian Plants online, , , Winkworth, R.E., 1973, Eco-physiology of Mulga (Acacia aneura), Tropical Grasslands1, 43-48, , .