Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Acacia suaveolens (Sm.) Willd.

Prostrate to erect shrub with linear phyllodes up to 15 cm long, and globular axillary racemes of pale yellow flowers.  To 2.5m.  [RHSD, Hortus, FNSW].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1803.  [JD].  Described and figured in Banks and Solander – Illustrations of the Botany of Captain Cook’s Voyage Round the World in H.M.S. Endeavour.  p.26 and pl.83.  LBC no.730/1823.

History at Camden Park

Acacia suaveolens is marked with an ‘x’ in an 1836 edition of Loddiges’ catalogue held at Camden Park [CPA].  The meaning of this is uncertain but plants growing at Camden were marked with a ‘c’ in the same catalogue and many plants marked with an ‘x’ subsequently appeared in lists of desiderata to Loddiges’.  It seems likely that William Macarthur was familiar with this plant as it is widely distributed in coastal heath and dry sclerophyll forest.

Notes

Published Dec 26, 2009 - 01:05 PM | Last updated Jul 18, 2010 - 03:44 PM

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The black and white illustration shows linear phyllodes and small, globular, axillary racemes. Banks and Solander pl.83.

Acacia suaveolens (Sm.) Willd. | Banks and Solander – Illustrations of the Botany of Captain Cook’s Voyage Round the World in H.M.S. Endeavour pl.83 | BHL

Family Fabaceae
Category
Region of origin

Eastern Australia including Tasmania
Synonyms
  • Racosperma suaveolens (Sm.) Martius
  • Mimosa suaveolens Sm.
  • Mimosa ambigua Salisb.
  • Mimosa obliqua Lam. (non Wendl.)
Common Name

Sweet wattle
Name in the Camden Park Record

Acacia suaveolens 
Confidence level high