Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Higher classification Acacia longifolia | Order Fabales Genus Acacia Rank Subspecies | |
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Scientific name Acacia longifolia subsp. sophorae Similar Acacia longifolia, Legumes, Acacia cyclops, Acacia pycnantha, Acacia floribunda | ||
Acacia sophorae, commonly known as coastal wattle, is a wattle found in coastal and subcoastal south-eastern Australia from the Eyre Peninsula to southern Queensland. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Sallow Wattle (Acacia longifolia). The specific epithet refers to its similarity to plants in the genus Sophora.
Description
In exposed situations it is a large, prostrate or decumbent shrub, with its trunk and lower branches usually growing along the ground, reaching up to 3 m in height and spreading to 4 m or more horizontally. The oval phyllodes are 50–100 mm long with prominent longitudal veins. The bright yellow flowers occur as elongated spikes up to 50 mm long in the phyllode axils. Flowering occurs mainly in late winter and spring. It occurs on primary dunes, in coastal heath, open forest and alluvial flats. It is used for dune stabilisation on beaches where it will tolerate sea spray and sand blast, providing protection for less hardy plants.
