Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) Inc. ACACIA STUDY GROUP NEWSLETTER Group Leader and Newsletter Editor Seed Bank Curator Bill Aitchison Esther Brueggemeier 13 Conos Court, Donvale, Vic 3111 28 Staton Cr, Westlake, Vic 3337 Phone (03) 98723583 Phone 0403 078708 Email: [email protected] No. 114 September 2011 ISSN 1035-4638 Contents Page From The Leader Dear Members From the Leader 1 Down here in Victoria, we are now past the main peak of Welcome 2 wattle flowering, but many people have commented on what From Members and Readers 2 a brilliant flowering year it has been – both in the bush and Acacia Name Issue 2 in gardens. Roadsides have been quite magnificent with Memories of Acacia flexifolia 3 outstanding blooms of golden yellow, sometimes Acacia amblygona 3 continuously for kilometre after kilometre. These Acacia triptera and a wattle heaven 4 observations relate specifically to Victoria – it would be Pilliga Scrub and CSG Mining 4 interesting to hear from members in other states as to Acacias near Castlemaine, Vic 5 whether you have had similar wonderful displays. Reflections on Wattle Day 5 New Acacia Publication 6 Some of you may have recently seen Esther Brueggemeier, Acacia cognata 'Mini Cog' 6 and her wattle garden, feature on the ABC’s Gardening National Food Plan 6 Australia program (on 3 September). Congratulations to Wattle we eat for dinner Workshop 7 Esther. For those who did not see the program, I believe Wattle Seeds in Bird Pellets 8 that you can either read the transcript or download the Seed Bank 8 segment from the ABC’s Gardening Australia web site. Study Group Membership 9 Esther recently represented our Study Group at a Wattle Balance Sheet 9 Workshop, “Wattle we eat for dinner” held in Alice Springs. Submission to National Food Plan 10 A report from Esther on the Workshop is included on page 7 Study Group Seed List 11 of this Newsletter. Thank you to all the members who have already paid their subscriptions. There are still a number who have not yet renewed – if you could attend to this as soon as possible (or let me know if you do not wish to renew) that would be greatly appreciated. If you are not sure as to when your subscription is paid to, let me know and I can advise you what our records indicate. Our financial statement for the year to 30 June 2011 is included on page 9. Cheers Bill Aitchison Acacia Study Group Newsletter No. 114 Page 1 Welcome Acacia Name Issue A special welcome to the following new members and As advised in previous Newsletters, the Acacia name issue subscribers to the Newsletter: was one of the matters raised at the Nomenclature Section meeting of the International Botanical Congress recently Ian Evans, Eaglehawk, Vic held in Melbourne. Peter Kelly, Whyalla, SA Marg Sprigg, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, SA Many of you will be aware of the outcome from the John Weatherstone, Gunning, NSW Congress, but the following is a summary of the decisions Eric Wilkinson, California Gully, Vic taken in Melbourne. Essentially, on the first day of the Nomenclature Section, there were two important votes that supported the procedure From Members and Readers used in Vienna in 2005 and endorsed the decisions taken in Vienna. This therefore confirmed that the type species of Last year Bob and Dot O’Neill sold their property, Acacia remains with an Australian species, so that Katandra Gardens (at Wandin North east of Melbourne) and Australian acacias retain the name. Each of these votes was purchased a smaller 1 acre property at Narre Warren South. carried with a large majority (and in fact support was Bob writes (4 August 2011) as follows: widespread and not confined to Australian delegates). The decision to ratify the Vienna Code was passed with a vote of “Thanks for the thorough keeping up with information, it is 373 in favour and 172 against. appreciated. Later in the Nomenclature Section meeting, proposals were A bit of an update for us. Our new garden is now more or considered in relation to "compromise solutions" to the less done as far as we can at this point. Being home on the problem. However, these compromise proposals were job for 7 months, most of the planting has been done, the rejected, again by large majorities. balance to be completed once the warm weather is back with us. We have an 8ft x 14ft hothouse to play with, which The decisions of the Nomenclature Section meeting were is currently an intensive care unit for small and sad plants. I subsequently formally ratified by the full Congress. am very heartened with the restoration of dying plants to good health by placing them in protected conditions and the So in summary, the decisions taken in Melbourne confirm application of a dose or 2 of liquid fertilizer. that the Australian acacias retain the name. It is expected that further discussions will be held in the months ahead in In the garden we have had problems with wet feet due to an relation to a new name for the African and American almost flat block and a poor draining soil type. We lost a species. number of plants, others we lifted and repotted. This all means that we simply select the right plants for the right Footnote: Dr Michael W Fuller from the Cactus and places as best we can and do not try too many delicate Succulent Society of Australia (CSSA) recently forwarded plants for the moment. On the other hand, we have had to me an article that he had written in relation to the Acacia successes with a very good range of plant species which is decision taken at the Melbourne Congress. In this article, most rewarding. he makes the interesting observation that the decision in relation to Acacia is not dissimilar to an earlier decision in Acacia wise, we have only a few species in the garden and relation to another genus. The following is an extract from there are a few seedlings that we have raised, currently in this article: the hot house. We will not be world leaders in the growing of these plants simply because an acre is not a very large “Similarly, an earlier Code decision, affecting many CSSA space to play in.” members, was explained in the April 2011 issue of “Spinette.” Had the “priority” rules been strictly enforced, ******** all our favourite Mamillarias would have had to be renamed as members of the genus Cactus. Fortunately, a decision of In recent newsletters we have referred to Acacia araneosa an International Botanical Code solved that problem by (the Spidery Wattle). Chris Nayda (Port Augusta, SA) declaring Mamillaria to be a nomen conservanda—a name advises that the May 2011 Newsletter of The Friends of the to conserved (retained and used) in the interests of “stability Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden includes an article of nomenclature” or, in other words, “common sense.”” on this species (www.australian-aridlands-botanic- garden.org/friends2). Acacia Study Group Newsletter No. 114 Page 2 plants in this population are shorter, denser, more spreading Memories of Acacia flexifolia with some evidence of suckering. The flowers are more by Warren and Gloria Sheather, Yarrowyck, NSW yellow than lemon (see image). The phyllodes still have the upward bend. John Weatherstone, in ASG 113, wrote about Acacia flexifolia. This brought many happy memories. Back in the We still feel the same way about this attractive wattle but in 1970’s we lived and worked in the Warrumbungle National future our propagating activities will concentrate on this Park in central NSW. During time off we explored the closer population as it has more horticultural potential. surrounding area. A trip in late winter took us to the Binnaway district. Amongst roadside vegetation we came across population of smallish Acacias in full flower. We Acacia amblygona were so impressed that we returned to the area, in summer, by Warren and Gloria Sheather. Yarrowyck, NSW to collect seed. Whilst on the subject of small Acacias there is another Subsequently we identified the species as Acacia flexifolia species, in our garden, worthy of mention. and since then have always included this species in our horticultural activities. Acacia amblygona, a species name better written than spoken, is known as the Fan Wattle and is said to be a small Acacia flexifolia, the Bent-leaf Wattle is a small to medium, wattle sometimes reaching a height of 1.5 metres and upright shrub. The small phyllodes are narrow, about 18 sometimes prostrate. The small, unusual, light green millimetres long, grey-green with a sharp, upward bend near phyllodes are more or less triangular and crowned with a the base (hence the common name). sharp point. Bright yellow, globular flower heads are both conspicuous and profuse. Seed pods may be curved or In our garden Acacia flexifolia begins flowering in early coiled. July. At this time plants become covered with lemon- yellow, globular flower heads that hide the foliage. We Acacia amblygona is common in the Pilliga Scrub in central regard this wattle as a “herald of spring” as it is one of the New South Wales. The plants there are usually upright first to bloom at this time of the year. shrubs about one metre tall. Acacia flexifolia is one of our favourite wattles and each flowering season brings back memories of an interesting period in our lives. We maintain healthy plants that have dense foliage and bounteous blooms by pruning when the flowers fade. We propagate the species by both seed and cuttings. Acacia amblygona Photo: W & G Sheather The specimen illustrated is from our garden and has developed into a dense ground cover with a spread of two metres.