Acacia rigens

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Caesalpinioideae
Tribus: Acacieae
Genus: Acacia
Species: Acacia rigens
Name

Acacia rigens A.Cunn. ex G.Don, 1832
Synonyms

Acacia rigens var. longifolia Benth.
Racosperma rigens (A.Cunn. ex G.Don) Pedley

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
Acacia rigens

Continental: Australasia
Regional: Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Cunningham, A., 1832. A General History of the Dichlamydeous Plants... London 2:403.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Acacia rigens in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Aug 13. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Acacia rigens. Published online. Accessed: Aug 13 2019.
Tropicos.org 2019. Acacia rigens. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 13 Aug 2019.
Catalogue of Life: 2021 Annual Checklist
Acacia rigens – Taxon details on World Wide Wattle.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Acacia rigens in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Vernacular names
English: Nealia, Nealie, Needle Wattle, Needle-bush Wattle, Nilyah
தமிழ்: பீக்கருவேல்

Acacia rigens, commonly known as nealie, is an erect or spreading shrub or small tree that is endemic to Australia.[2][3] Other common names include needle wattle, needlebush acacia, nealia and nilyah.[3]

Description

Plants typically grows to a height of 1 to 6 m (3 ft 3 in to 19 ft 8 in) and have rigid, terete phyllodes that are between 3 to 13 cm (1.2 to 5.1 in) in length. The bright yellow flowerheads appear in groups of up to four in the axils of the phyllodes. The simple inflorescences have resinous and spherical flower-heads with a diameter of 4 to 7 mm (0.16 to 0.28 in) and contain 20 to 30 bright yellow coloured, 5-merous flowers that appear between July and December in the species' native range, followed by curled, twisted or coiled seed pods which are 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) long and 2 to 3 mm (0.079 to 0.118 in) wide.[2][3]
Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1832 by botanist Allan Cunningham.[1] It resembles Acacia havilandiorum but has longer phyllodes and 4-merous flowers. The specific epithet is thought to be a reference to the rigidity of the pjhyllodes.[3]
Distribution

The species occurs on red earth, sandy or shaly soils in mallee and woodland in southern Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.[3][4]
Cultivation

The species is fast-growing and is both frost and drought tolerant, rarely requiring watering after establishment. It is adaptable to most soils and is best suited to a position in full sun or light shade.[5]

The larvae of the double-spotted lineblue butterfly feed on this species.[4]
See also

List of Acacia species

References

"Acacia rigens". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
"Acacia rigens". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
"Acacia rigens". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
"Acacia rigens". Electronic Flora of South Australia Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. Archived from the original on 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
Greig, D. (1987). The Australian Gardener's Wildflower Catalogue. Australia: Angus & Robertson. ISBN 978-0-207-15460-7.