Acacia harpophylla

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Brigalow leaves and blossom.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 30 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 30. to 50 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 50.
Width: 20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20.
Lifespan: perennial
Bloom: early spring, mid spring, late spring, early winter, mid winter, late winter
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 9 to 11
Flower features: orange, yellow
Scientific Names

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Acacia >

harpophylla >


Acacia harpophylla, commonly known as the Brigalow , Brigalow Spearwood or Orkor is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales. It can reach up to 25 meters tall and forms extensive open-forest communities on clay soils.

Two species, brigalow (A. harpophylla) and gidgee (A. cambagei) form open woodlands on flat and gently undulating terrain on heavy and relatively fertile clay and clay-loam soils primarily in the 300-700mm annual rainfall region of Eastern Australia. These woodlands extend from a northern extreme of 20o S into northern New South Wales. Brigalow and gidgee occur as mixed communities in some regions and are commonly associated with several other woody species, including overstorey species such as Eucalyptus coolabah, E. cambageana, Casuarina cristata, and a range of understorey species [1][2]. A. tephrina, A. georginae and A. argyrodendron also occupy similar habitats and have similar habits and growth forms, but are less widespread, while a number of other Acacia species also form structurally similar communities [3]

Brigalow occurs from coastal regions receiving in excess of 900mm rainfall per year through to the semi arid 500mm rainfall region although it is primarily a semi-arid zone species [2][3]. Gidgee (A. cambagei) replaces brigalow as rainfall drops in western regions and extends from 650mm-300mm [4]. Gidgee, with a maximum height of approximately 12 metres is somewhat smaller than brigalow which can attain heights of 20 metres [5]. In the north-western regions Black gidgee (A. argyrodendron) replaces brigalow in many areas, while in Central-Western districts Boree (A. tephrina) forms woodlands and shrublands, frequently on cracking clay soils and often in association with A. cambagei. Georgina gidgee (A. georginae) woodlands are found in more arid regions in the 200-250mm rainfall belt [3].


Read about Acacia harpophylla in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Acacia harpophylla, F. v. M. A tree with slightly angular branchlets: phyll. striate, 3-5-nerved, falcate- lanceolate, tapering to both ends, 6-8 in. long, 1/3-3/4in. wide: fls. in clusters with peduncles 1/2in. long, or in short racemes, much shorter than phyfl., 15-20 fls. in a head; sepals not half so long as petals: pod striate, more or less constricted and contracted between seeds, 3-4, or even 5, in. long, 1/6in. wide; seed elliptic; funicle half as long as seed and but slightly enlarged into aril. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


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References

  1. Scanlan, J. C. (1988). Managing tree and shrub populations. Native pastures in Queensland their resources and management. W. H. Burrows, J. C. Scanlan and M. T. Rutherford. Queensland, Queensland Government Press.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Anderson, E. and P. Back (1990). Fire in brigalow lands. Fire in the management of northern Australian pastoral lands. T. C. Grice and S. M. Slatter. St. Lucia, Australia, Tropical Grassland Society of Australia.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Johnson, R. W. and W. H. Burrows (1994). Acacia open forest, woodlands and shrublands. Australian Vegetation. R. H. Groves. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
  4. Weston, E. J. (1988). The Queensland Environment. Native pastures in Queensland their resources and management. W. H. Burrows, J. C. Scanlan and M. T. Rutherford. Brisbane, Queensland Government Press.
  5. Anderson, E. R. (1993). Plants of Central Queensland. Brisbane, Queensland Government Press.

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