SafePlants

Acacia dietrichiana: The Dietrich Wattle

Acacia dietrichiana, also known as the Dietrich Wattle, is a species of Acacia native to Australia.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant has reddish, sticky branchlets.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Acacia dietrichiana F. Muell.
• Common Name: Dietrich Wattle (no other common names were found in the provided text)
• Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae or Mimosaceae)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Rank: Species
• Synonym: Racosperma dietrichianum FMuell Pedley (not an active name)

Distribution and Habitat

• Acacia dietrichiana is found in inland northern and central Queensland, Australia.
• It has been specifically observed at the Burra Range (now White Mountains National Park), west of Pentland, Queensland.

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a sparsely branched shrub or tree, growing up to 6 meters (approximately 22 feet) in height.
• The branchlets are slender, lenticellular, and dark reddish brown. Some are described as reddish and sticky.
• The leaves are oblong.
• As a deciduous tree, it sheds its leaves seasonally.

Historical Context

• Acacia dietrichiana was described and named in 1882 by Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller.
• The species is named in honor of Amalie Dietrich, a German naturalist.
• Several other species (e.g., Bonamia dietrichiana, Nortonia amaliae, and Odynerus dietrichianus) have also been named after her.

Ecological Role

• The text mentions concern regarding the habitat of the locally rare species Acacia dietrichiana.

Resources and Further Information

• Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
• Discover Life: provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution.
• ICRAF Databases: Agroforestree Database.
• Australian Plant Name Index (APNI): Provides name, type, taxonomic history, and references.
• Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG) checklist.
• Plantillustrations.org