Acacia pruinocarpa
Tindale
Black gidgee
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(c) Tyler M Wilce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tyler M Wilce
Summary
Source: WikipediaAcacia pruinocarpa, commonly known as black gidgee, gidgee or tawu, is a tree in the family Fabaceae that is endemic to arid parts of Australia.
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
Edible Uses
The seeds are lightly roasted and ground into a paste then eaten. The white or yellow gum exuded from the tree is eaten. The sweet honeydew from lerp insects on the leaves and stems is eaten.
Traditional Uses
The seed are lightly roasted and ground into a paste then eaten. The white or yellow gum which exudes from the tree is eaten and enjoyed. The honey dew from a lerp insect on the leaves and stems is eaten. It is sweet.
Medicinal Uses
The roots are used traditionally.
Known Hazards
The seed of many Acacia species, including this one, is edible and highly nutritious, and can be eaten safely as a fairly major part of the diet. Not all species are edible, however, and some can contain moderate levels of toxins. Especially when harvesting from the wild, especial care should be taken to ensure correct identification of any plants harvested for food. Especially in times of drought, many Acacia species can concentrate high levels of the toxin Hydrogen cyanide in their foliage, making them dangerous for herbivores to eat.
Distribution
It occurs in inland areas in Australia. It is mostly on rocky or sandy soils. It suits a hot dry climate. It needs a well drained soil and sunny position. It can grow in arid places.
Where It Grows
Australia*,
Cultivation
It is grown from seed.
Propagation
The seed of most, if not all, members of this genus has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Acacia seeds that have matured fully on the bush and have been properly dried have a hard seed coat and can be stored in closed containers without deterioration for 5 - 10 years or more in dry conditions at ambient temperatures. It is best to remove the aril, which attracts weevils and can lead to moulds forming. The arils are easilyremoved by placing the seeds in water and rubbing them between the hands, then drying the seeds and winnowing them.
Other Uses
The wood is close-grained, tough, strong, durable ; it splits freely, and is probably useful for turnery, etc. The above report is for Acacia notabilis, which is described as a tree that can grow up to 9 metres tall. However, the Flora of Australia.actually describes Acacia notabilis as a shrub growingup to 3 metres tall. The Flora of Australia also mentions that Acacia pruinocarpa (a tree that does fit the description in ) has at times been wrongly described as Acacia notabilis. It is quite likely that the description of the wood given here more properly belongs to Acacia pruinocarpa. The following report is for Acacia pruinocarpa:- The wood is an attractive dark ebony colour, has a high density and as such has potential for use in furniture manufacture, as a craft wood and also for making musical instruments. However, it is very susceptible to attack by borers and quickly rots once such damage occurs. The wood is used for fuel.
Production
It is difficult to separate the seeds from the pod. It produces large quantities of gum. It flowers only in mid summer.
Notes
There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.
Also Known As
Gidgee, Itawara, Pulluru, Tawu, Yallari
References (9)
- Cancilla, D., 2018, Ethnobotanical and Ethnozoological Values Desktop Assessment - Eliwana Project. p 9
- Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 4:73. 1968
- Doran, J.C., & Turnbull, J.W. (Eds), 1997, Australian Trees and Shrubs: species for land rehabilitation and farm plantings in the tropics. ACIAR Monograph No 24. p 350
- Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 100
- ILDIS Legumes of the World http:www;ildis.org/Legume/Web
Show all 9 references Hide references
- Latz, P & Wightman, G., 1995, Desert Bush Tucker Identikit. Common Native Food Plants of Central Australia. Parks & Wild Commission Northern territory. p 10
- Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 6
- Lister, P.R., P. Holford, T. Haigh, and D.A. Morrison, 1996, Acacia in Australia: Ethnobotany and potential food crop. p. 228-236. In: J. Janick (ed.), Progress in new crops. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.
- Pennock, A., et al, Australian Dry-zone Acacias for Human Food: Proceedings of a Workshop.
