Acacia georginae

Bailey

Georgina gidgee

Fabaceae Edible: Gum, Grubs Potential hazards — see below 26 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Acacia georginae, commonly known as Georgina gidgee, Georgina gidyea or poison gidyea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to arid areas of Central Australia. It is a foul-smelling, gnarled or spreading tree with a dense crown, narrowly elliptic phyllodes, spherical heads of golden yellow flowers and curved to coiled, papery pods.

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 gum is eaten. Grubs associated with the plant are also consumed.

Traditional Uses

The gum is eaten. (Due to fluoracetic acid the pods, seeds and leaves are poisonous including to stock.)

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Known Hazards

Acacia georginae is closely related to A. cambagei, but unlike that species, its foliage contains fluoroacetic acid that is extremely poisonous to livestock. The foul smelling odour of the phyllodes that is especially evident in wet weather, is also a characteristic of A. cambagei and A. pachcarpa.

Distribution

Plants naturally occur in clumps together along streams. They occur on loam soils and heavy clay soils. It is very drought and frost resistant. It suits hot arid areas. (Rainfall 22-28 cm and temperatures of over 23°C mean maximum.)

Where It Grows

Australia*, North America, USA,

Cultivation

It is grown from seed.

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.

Also Known As

Gidyea

References (8)

Bot. Bull. Dept. Agric. 13:9. 1896
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 47
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 54
Hall, N. et al, 1972, The Use of Trees and Shrubs in the Dry Country of Australia, AGPS, Canberra. p 346
ILDIS Legumes of the World http:www;ildis.org/Legume/Web

Show all 8 references

Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 4
Milson. J., 2000, Trees and Shrubs of north-west Queensland. DPI p 122
Pennock, A., et al, Australian Dry-zone Acacias for Human Food: Proceedings of a Workshop.