rangerklein's Identifications

NUMBER: 20211015
SPECIES: Earpod Wattle, Acacia auriculiformis Cunningham ex. Bentham, 1842
OTHER NAMES: Earleaf Acacia, Northern Black Waddle
DISTINCTIONS: Evergreen, crooked, gnarly tree, with spectacular elongate yellow inflorescences, which unfortunately only last a few days
FAMILY: Fabaceae or Leguminosae – Legume, pea, or bean family
DATE, TIME: 15 October 2021, 11:57 am
LOCALITY: Wildflower Way, Lely Resort, Naples, Florida 34113
LATITUDE, LONGITUDE: 26°5’50.6” N, 81°43’8.6” W (26.09739, -81.71905)
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Widely dispersed invasive exotic due to landscaping use. Invasive in southern coastal counties of Florida. Observed very commonly in natural woods of SW Florida, but not seen in landscaping. Florida trees originated in the Northern Territory of Australia (McCulloch et al., 2020).
BLOOMING: A few yellow flower spikes may be found on individual trees throughout the year but there is a distinct peak flowering season. In Northern Territory of Australia, April-July; in Queensland at Atherton in Queensland, near Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia, and Tawau in Sabah February-May; in Java in March-June (Vélez-Gavilán, 2016).
USES: Fast growing plant for fuelwood, high-quality charcoal, carvings, folk medicine analgesic. Can fix nitrogen in tropical soils.
DAMAGE: Grows rapidly with broad thick foliage that shades out native plants.
STATUS: Category I Invasive (EPPC, 2019). Serious invasive in many natural areas in SW Florida. None were seen in landscaping or gardens.
IMPORTANCE: Florida trees came from the Northern Territory of Australia (McCulloch et al., 2020) where they bloom from April to July (Vélez-Gavilán, 2016). However, the trees observed in SW Florida bloomed in mid-Fall.
OBSERVERS: Dr. Ernest H. Williams, Jr.,[2,3,5,6] and Dr. Lucy Bunkley-Williams[2,4,5,7]
REFERENCES:
<>EPPC. 2019. Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s List of Invasive Plant Species. www.fleppc.org
<>Gilman, E. F., D. G. Watson, R. W. Klein, A. K. Koeser, D. R. Hilbert, and D. C. McLean. 2019. Southern Trees Fact Sheets, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, ENH163, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
<>Koeser, A.K., Friedman, M.H., Hasing, G., Finley, H., Schelb, J. 2017. Trees: South Florida and the Keys. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
<>McCulloch, G. A., P. T. Madeira, J. R. Makinson, L. Dutoit, Z. Blair, G. H. Walter, M. Nawaz, M. F. Purcell. 2020. Phylogenomics resolves the invasion history of Acacia auriculiformis in Florida. Journal of Biography. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jbi.14013
<>Vélez-Gavilán, J. 2016. Acacia auriculiformis (northern black wattle). Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CABI. DOI:10.1079/ISC.2157.20203482796. https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/2157#tocontributors
<>Williams, E. H., Jr. and L. Bunkley-Williams. 2021. Earpod Wattle, Acacia auriculiformis Cunningham ex. Bentham, with origin of blooming in the winter. More global warming mischief? iNaturalist #100196558, Research Grade [619]
FOOTNOTES:
[1]Identification was peer-reviewed, text edited and condensed. The entire, original text is in our reprint #437. [2]Extraordinary Professors, Potchefstroom Campus, North-West University, South Africa; Adjunct Professors, Research Field Station, Florida Gulf Coast University, 5164 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34134; [3]Dept. Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico (retired); [4]Dept. Biology, UPR (retired); [5]920 St. Andrews Blvd, Naples, FL 34113-8943; [6]e-mail ermest.williams1@upr.edu; cell 239-227-3645, ORCID 0000-0003-0913-3013; [7]Cell 787-467-2179, e-mail lucy.williams1@upr.edu, ORCID 0000-0003-1390-911x

Figures A-C, G. Closeups of flowers and leaves.
Figures D-F. Limbs, trunks, flowers and leaves.
Figure G. Whole tree