ACACIA LONGIFOLIA

common names: sydney golden wattle, long leaf wattle
type collected:

habit: shrub to small tree, 2 - 5 m, sometimes sprawling, very variable species.

foliage: phyllodes 7-18 cm x 7-20 mm, leathery mid green with longitudinal nerves, 1-2(3) main nerves. smooth branchlets, gland near base of phyllodes.

flowers: 3-5 cm spikes, golden yellow colour, flowers in spring.

pods: 5-15 cm x 4-6 mm brown leathery pods, straight to slightly curved.

seeds: 3-6 mm long, longitudinal in pod, small aril not around the seed.

distribution: natural distribution is near coastal areas of NSW, Sth Qld to Vic and SA, especially around Sydney district. Extremely widely cultivated and naturalised overseas in some places.

notes: Phyllodes used as a fish poison and stems for fibre. Seed pods cooked and seeds eaten. Positive test for HCN in the foliage. ( references: 2, 4, 5, 7) Reported to contain alkaloids sometimes, apparently used as a source of tryptamine alkaloids by some, best results in winter months (0.2% dry weight of the bark?), much further research needed on this species before confirming this. A. Sophorae is considered by some to be a variety of A. longifolia rather than a distinct species.