May 1945 The Queensland Naturalist lOS 
One of the main features of Australian wattles from 
an economic standpoint is the importance of the barks of 
several of them as a source of tannin. On this account one 
of the main tanning species, Acacia mollissima , has been 
extensively cultivated in South Africa. The timber of 
wattles is as a rule hard and heavy but very beautiful. 
The species producing timber of the greatest value is 
Acacia melanoxylon , the Blackwood, one of the most im- 
portant cabinet woods in Australia. It is found in Tas- 
mania, Victoria and New South Wales but does not extend 
to Queensland. The majority of wattles are small trees, 
only a few producing mill logs. The woods of some, how- 
ever, on account of their distinctive beauty, are in demand 
for the manufacture of small fancy articles. Some of the 
wattles now used extensively for these purposes are Mulga 
( Acacia aneura), Bendee (Acacia caienulata) and Myall 
( Acacia pendula). In Western Australia the favourite for 
this purpose is the ‘'Raspberry Jam” (Acacia acuminata) . 
The wood of this species has a very strong smell of rasp- 
berry jam which is noticeable in the timber even after it 
has been cut for some years. 
Many wattles are gregarious, particularly in the 
interior parts, forming special types of scrub such as 
Brigalow, Lancewood, Mulga, Boree and Bendee scrubs of 
Western and Northern Queensland. 
Wattles are extensively planted in Southern Europe 
for the cut-flower trade. The commonest is the Coota- 
mundra Wattle (Acacia Baileyana ), which is sent in large 
quantities in normal times to London for the English floral 
trade. Of late years, before the war, the Queensland Silver 
Wattle (Acacia podalyriae folia) had been sent in increas- 
ing quantities. 
Australian wattles are favourite shrubs for cultivation 
in English temperate houses. They are extensively culti- 
vated as ornamental shrubs in warm countries. 
A dichotomous key to the species found in the immedi- 
ate neighbourhood of Brisbane is given herewith. This is 
followed by a key to the species in natural sequence. 
DICHOTOMOUS KEY TO THE SPECIES 
1. Trees or shrubs bearing only phyllodes (flattened or 
rounded bodies like a simple leaf) in the adult stage, 
occasionally with bipinnate leaves and phyllodes in 
various stages of transition 2 
Trees or shrubs with bip innate leaves only ]g 
