Acacia salicina

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse and widespread geographical distribution across several different continents. In Northern Africa, its presence is specifically noted within the borders of Tunisia. Its range extends into Western Asia, where it can be found in Palestine. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is also established in India. Finally, the plant is located in Australia, specifically inhabiting the regions of New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Acacia salicina is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its ecological niche. Throughout its developmental stages, the plant maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present year-round rather than shedding leaves seasonally. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and continuous leaf retention enables the species to engage in sustained metabolic activity and consistent photosynthetic output over its lifespan.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Acacia salicina is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, exhibiting a self-supporting structure that does not require climbing or liana-like habits. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a primarily terrestrial existence, though its ecological niche can range across aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial habitats. The plant reaches a significant stature, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 3 meters to a maximum of 13 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

13 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Acacia salicina is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production. The plant's foliar morphology plays a critical role in its metabolic efficiency, featuring elliptic leaf forms that vary significantly in dimension. These leaves exhibit a high degree of morphological plasticity, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.1 cm to a maximum of 12 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 0.4 cm and a maximum of 1.65 cm, providing a specific surface-area-to-volume ratio that supports its physiological requirements and gas exchange capabilities.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length min:

0.1 cm

Leaf width max:

1.65 cm

Leaf width min:

0.4 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Acacia salicina is characterized by a flowering period that typically begins in February and concludes in June. During this time, the plant produces white flowers arranged in a raceme inflorescence. Following fertilization, the plant develops fruit in the form of a pod, which exhibits a length ranging from 3 cm to a maximum of 12 cm and a width between 0.6 cm and 1 cm. These pods are dehiscence-type, meaning they split open at maturity to release the seeds. The seeds themselves are relatively small, with a length ranging from 4.5 mm to 6 mm. In terms of mass, the seeds have a mean weight of approximately 0.0478 g, with individual seeds weighing as little as 0.03268 g and as much as 0.069774 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows a hydrochorous syndrome, utilizing water as the primary mechanism for distribution.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flowering time :

Feb

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit length max:

12 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit type :

pod

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Fruit width min:

0.6 cm

Inflorescence :

raceme

Seed length max:

6 mm

Seed length min:

4.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.069774 g

Seed mass mean:

0.047814857 g

Seed mass min:

0.03268 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Acacia salicina has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

Conditions

Acacia salicina has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include DNA damage, mutagenesis.

Dna damage

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

Mutagenesis

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

Preparations

Acacia salicina has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extracts, ethyl acetate extracts, methanol extracts.

Aqueous extracts

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

Ethyl acetate extracts

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)

Methanol extracts

1. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)