acacia

n. and adj.

a genus of shrubs ortrees, N.O. Leguminosae. The Australian species oftenform thickets or scrubs, and are much used for hedges. Thespecies are very numerous, and are called provincially byvarious names, e.g. «Wattle,» «Mulga,» «Giddea,» and «Sally,» an Anglicized form of the aboriginal name Sallee (q.v.).The tree peculiar to Tasmania, Acacia riceana, Hensl., N.O. Leguminosae, is there called the DroopingAcacia.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. i.p. 202:

«We possess above a hundred and thirty species of the acacia.»

1839. Dr. J. Shotsky, quoted in `Sydney Morning Herald,' Aug. 5,p. 5, col. 2:

«Yet, Australian sky and nature awaits and merits real artiststo portray it. Its gigantic gum and acacia trees, 40 ft. ingirth, some of them covered with a most smooth bark, externallyas white as chalk. .. .»

1844. L. Leichhardt, Letter in `Cooksland,' by J. D. Lang, p. 91:

«Rosewood Acacia, the wood of which has a very agreeable violetscent like the Myal Acacia ( A. pendula) in LiverpoolPlains.»

1846. C. P. Hodgson, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 149:

«The Acacias are innumerable, all yielding a famous bark fortanning, and a clean and excellent gum.»

1869. Mrs. Meredith, `A Tasmanian Memory,' p. 8:

«Acacias fringed with gold.»

1877. F. v. Mueller, `Botanic Teachings,' p. 24:

«The name Acacia, derived from the Greek, and indicative of athorny plant, was already bestowed by the ancient naturalistand physician Dioscorides on a Gum-Arabic yieldingNorth-African Acacia not dissimilar to some Australian species.This generic name is so familiarly known, that the appellation`Wattle' might well be dispensed with. Indeed the name Acaciais in full use in works on travels and in many popular writingsfor the numerous Australian species . . . Few of any genera ofplants contain more species than Acacia, and in Australia it isthe richest of all; about 300 species, as occurring in ourcontinent, have been clearly defined.»