Green wattle (Acacia decurrens)

Kasiah or akasia jarum or green wattle or early green wattle or Mimosa decurrens (Acacia decurrens) are plant species in Fabaceae, perennial trees or shrubs, grow fast to 15 m high, gummy woody, dark green twigs and green or brown or dark gray tree bark.

A. decurrens is very striking as a grove of green, has needle-shaped leaves, dark green in alternating arrangement, the base of the stems forming pulvinus, bipinnate, rachis length is 20-120 mm, angular and hairless.

Each small leaflet has 15-45 pairs with a wide distance, connected to each other with a length of 5-15 mm with a width of 0.4-1 mm, straight, parallel side, pointed end, pointed base, shiny and not hairy or sparse.

The small flowers are yellow or golden yellow and are attached tightly to the stems on each head with a length of 5-7 mm and the length of the axillary rasme or panicle terminal is 60-110 mm. Bisexual, fragrant, five petals, sepals and many stamens.

The pods mature in dry season. Dark brown or reddish brown or black seeds are located in parallel, even, smooth pods. Length 20-105 mm with a width of 4-8.5 mm. Seeds come out through two valves and are spread by ants and birds.

Green wattle grows in high rainfall with 600-1,400 mm/year in bush and open forest in valleys and slopes, rocky and sandy soils, road edges and marginal areas with moderate nutrition.

Foliage as food for Nacaduba biocellata, Hypochrysops delicia, Jalmenus evagoras, Jalmenus ictinus, Jalmenus icilius and Pseudalmenus chlorinda. Wood as food for the larvae of Agrilus australasiae, Cisseis cupripennis and Cisseis scabrosula.

Trees can live for 15-50 years. Shoots grow fast after fires and colonize disturbed areas. Tree trunks produce sap which is brown and clear and sticky. Bark contains 37-40% tannin. Flowers to produce yellow coloring and seed pods for green coloring.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Clade: Mimosoideae
Genus: Acacia
Species: A. decurrens

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