ACACIA. 



ACACIA, FALSE. 



with a gland between the lowest, and often between the outermost 

 divisions. Heads of flowers growing in threes upon stalks. Pod 

 necklace-shaped. It is an inhabitant of the E it Indies, Arabia, and 



Acacia Ctitechu. 



Abyssinia, where it forms a tree 18 or 14 feet high, of inelegant 

 appearance ; easily recognised by its long curved pods, which are 

 divided into a number of round compressed joints, by means of con- 



Arncla Arnbtca. 



tr.i<:tion between the seeds. This is one of the plants that yield the 

 useful substance called Gum-Arabic, which is procured by wounding 



>rk ; after which the sap runs out, and hardens into transparent 

 lump*, "f various figurc-H, very nimilar to the concretions found upon 

 tin- bark of the cherry-tree in this country. Gum-Arabic is also pro- 



"In 1 abundantly by some of the species nearly related to this, such 



an A. Pfilotica, or rtra, found in Egypt; A. Kl<m<li /-'//i, a native of 

 Dongola ; A. im-ti'ii, a common plant in the west of Nubia, Kordofan, 

 and Ar.il'ia. especially upon Mount Sinai ; and A. Segal, an inhabitant 

 ..t" I !'[ i Bgrpt, Jfubia, and western Arabia. It is supposed that 

 Ghun-Anbic ia collected indifferently from all these, and that the 

 gums "f Jidda and Hassorali, Giiin-Tlmr, and East India Gum, are 

 i.nly pieki-d sample*. Gum-Senegal is the produce of a distinct 



<, called A. fienrgnl, found in Arabia and the interior of 

 Africa. 



Ai':f!'i ri;.<, ",'',,- ( l)c Caii'lolle), the Purple-Stemmed Acacia (Mimom 



'/-, 'Hot. Repository'), has no spine* ; the loaves have five pairs 



of pimup. K is a in i<Mi<- sized tree, found in the southern parts 



of Australia and in Van Diem^n's l,:md. where it,, in common with 



many others [' (lit- sane 1 ^'inH. is ailrrl Wattle. It appears better 



d than most other Austral! in species to support our winters. 

 Near London it succeeds perfectly well, all winter long, in the 



open air, if wrapped round with mats, and it is to be presumed that 

 there is no obstacle to its being almost naturalised in Devonshire 

 and Cornwall and the west of Ireland. It is readily known by its 

 bluish stems and leaves, which are slightly stained with dull purple, 

 and form a strong contrast with its long erect bunches of yellow 

 blossoms. 



A cacia pubescens (' Hortus Kewensis'), Downy Acacia, No spines. 

 Leaves with from three to ten pairs of pinrue. It is a native of the 

 east coast of Australia. In this country it is one of the most beautiful 

 of green-house plants. If allowed to grow freely in the border of a 

 good conservatory, it attains the height of 10 or 12 feet; and in 

 January and February produces a vast abundance of yellow blossoms, 

 which weigh down the slender graceful branches, and perfume the air 

 with a weak but pleasant odour. 



AcacutJulilii-is'iii (\Villdenow), Silk-Tassel Acacia (Mimosa Julibrix- 

 sin, Scopoli). No spines. Leaves with from eight to twelve pairs 

 of pinna?. It is a native of Persia and of the Levant. Its specific 

 name is Latinised from two Persian words gul, a rose ; and cbrnst:him, 

 silk. In the countries where it grows wild it becomes a small tree, 

 remarkable for its light airy foliage, and for the great beauty of tho 

 clusters of lilac flowers, the long and slender stamens of which stream 

 in the wind and glitter in the sun, like a number of silken tassel^ 

 artificially fastened to the boughs. This species is now commonly 

 cultivated in the warmer parts of Europe. 



Acacia acanthocarpa (Willdeuow), Prickly-Fruited Acacia. Spines, 

 from the place of the stipulce, growing in pairs, and hooked. Leaves 

 in from six to eight principal divisions. It is a native of Mexico, 

 where it forms a small tree, with flesh-coloured flowers. 



The Black Wood of Van Diemen's Land is the timber of Acacia 

 melanofylon ; and the astringent Jurema Bark of Brazil is the produce 

 of A coda jurenm. 



II. Leaves pinnated in the yowng plant ; in the old, consisting of nothing 

 lut the vertically distended leaf-stalks, called Pkyllodia. About 100 

 . species. 



Acacia decipimt (' Hortus Kewensis'), Paradoxical Acacia. Stipules 

 spiny, deciduous. Phyllodia either triangular or trapezoidal ; their 

 midrib nearest the lowest side, and lengthened into a spine ; a single 

 glandular tooth on the upper edge. Flowers in nearly solitary com- 

 pound heads. This species is remarkable for the blunders to which 

 it has given rise. When botany was only a science of names, its 

 fluwerless branches were taken for the leaves of a kind of fern ; and, 

 at a later period, when botanical geography was as yet unheard of, it 

 was believed to be a native of the north-west coast of North America. 

 It is an inhabitant of the south-west coast of Australia, where it forms 

 a bush of singular aspect. In this country it is cultivated in the 

 green-house, and it flowers in March, April, and May. 



Acacia Sophoras (' Hortus Kewensis'), Fragrant Acacia. Phyllodia 

 narrow. Heads of flowers in dense slender racemes. Pods long, 

 curved, taper-pointed, a little con- 

 tracted between the seeds. It is 

 a native of the south side of 

 Australia and of Van Diemen's 

 Land. In this country it is a 

 very ornamental greenhouse plant, 

 which, if planted in the open 

 border, will grow as high as eight 

 feet. Few plants are more worthy 

 of a permanent station in a good 

 conservatory. 



Acacia lonrjifolla (Willdenow), 

 Long-Leaved Acacia. Phyllodia of 

 a narrow lanceolate form, tapering 

 to each end. Spikes of flowers 

 axillary, growing in pairs, on short 

 stalks. It is found very commonly 

 on the eastern coast of Australia, 

 especially in the neighbourhood 

 of Port Jackson, whence it was 

 introduced into Great Britain, 

 among the first of the natural 

 productions of that remarkable 

 country. 



Cultivation. The species of this 

 genus are increased artificially in 

 two different ways. Moat of them 

 may be multiplied by cuttings 

 struck in silver sand, placed under 

 a bell-glass, and kept in a warm 

 place, to which no direct solar 

 light has access. Such of them, 

 however, as do not increase with 

 sufficientcertainty by this method, an( . Ac 



A. Jiuilmasm for instance, have 

 the power of producing snoots from pieces of their root placed in 

 earth in a hot-bed ; and by these the nurserymen generally propagate 

 them. Their seeds also are very often received, and from these they 

 can, of course, be multiplied in all cases. 



ACACIA,. FALSE, or Locust Tree. [KoBiNiA.] 



