Acacia xiphophylla

E. Pritzel

Snake wood

Fabaceae Edible: Seeds, Gum Potential hazards — see below 15 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Acacia xiphophylla, commonly known as snakewood or snake-wood, is a tree in the family Fabaceae that is endemic to Western Australia. The indigenous group the Martuthunira, Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi peoples know it as marrawa, the Kariyarra know it as puluru and the Jiwarli know it as pukarti.

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

Seed - cooked. The seedpods are 8 - 20cm long, 7 - 18 mm wide, with dull brown, broadly elliptic seeds 6 - 10mm long. Acacia seeds are highly nutritious and contain around 26% protein, 26% available carbohydrate, 32% fibre and 9% fat. The fat content is higher than most legumes with the aril providing the bulk of fatty acids present. These fatty acids are largely unsaturated. The energy content is high in all species tested, averaging 1480 ±270 kJ per 100g. The seeds are low glycaemic index foods - the starch is digested and absorbed very slowly, producing a small, but sustained rise in blood glucose and so delaying the onset of exhaustion in prolonged exercise. The ground seed can be used to produce a high quality, caffeine-free coffee-like beverage. An edible gum is obtained from the stem and branches.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are eaten. The gum is eaten. The gum can be stored.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The bark and phyllodes were burnt to make burrgu, a mixture of ash and chewing tobacco, which acts as a stimulant. The bark of all Acacia species contains greater or lesser quantities of tannins and are astringent. Astringents are often used medicinally - taken internally, for example. they are used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, and can also be helpful in cases of internal bleeding. Applied externally, often as a wash, they are used to treat wounds and other skin problems, haemorrhoids, perspiring feet, some eye problems, as a mouth wash etc. Many Acacia trees also yield greater or lesser quantities of a gum from the trunk and stems. This is sometimes taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and haemorrhoids.

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 is more common in tropical northern Australia. It probably needs well drained soil and plenty of sunlight. It tends to grow as a clump of trees together in creek beds, often on red soils.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

It is grown from seed.

Propagation

The seed of most members of this genus has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. The seeds of this species, however, are soft-coated and therefore may not require any treatment prior to sowing. If required, scarification 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 ash from the burnt wood is mixed with animal fat or oil to make body paint or to paint artifacts. The heartwood is dark coloured; it is demarcated from the lighter coloured sapwood. An attractive wood, it is sometimes used for crafwork. The wood was used traditionally to make boomerangs, spear throwers and fighting sticks. The dense wood makes an excellent fuel, burning slowly and with great heat.

Production

It is slow growing and long lived.

Notes

There are about 1,350 Acacia species. Over 1,000 occur in Australia. Also as Mimosaceae.

References (6)

Bindon, P., 1996, Useful Bush Plants. Western Australian Museum. p 32
Cancilla, D., 2018, Ethnobotanical and Ethnozoological Values Desktop Assessment - Eliwana Project. p 10
F. L. E. Diels & E. Pritzel, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 35:305. 1904
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 132

Show all 6 references