Acacia genistifolia

Acacia genistifolia is a prickly shrub growing to 3 m high with a spread to 1 metre or more.

In NSW, it is found naturally south from about Bathurst, west to Grenfell and Griffith, also recorded in the Warramgamba Catchment. It extends south through the tablelands and western slopes, as well as the south western plains. It is found through much of Victoria except for the north-west. It is also found in the eastern half of tasmania.

It is found in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands generally and can occupy open regenerating shrublands.

Australian Wattles at least, can be broadly placed into 1 of 3 recognisable groups:

• Group 1: Those that produce juvenile compound-bipinnate leaves and then change to producing adult-phyllodes which are modified-flattened petioles which form the foliage. This is combined with flowers produced in globular balls or heads (or ovoid heads). The heads can be singular in leaf/phyllode axils or arranged in groups.
• Group 2: As for Group 1 but flowers are produced in longer rod-like spikes.
• Group 3: Those that never produce phyllodes and retain the juvenile compound-bipinnate foliage into adulthood. These always produce flowers in globular balls (which are secondarily arranged into panicle or raceme-like groups in many cases).

This wattle belongs to Group 1.

The phyllodes (modified leaves) are rigid, needle-like to 40 mm long and about 3 mm wide with a sharp point. They are 4-angled in cross-section.

Flowers are produced in globular heads, up to 8 mm diameter which are solitary in the leaf axils; pale yellow to creamy-white, occurring in mid-autumn to spring. Each head can have up to 30 very small staminate flowers.

The seed pods are 5 cm long and 3 mm wide, curved and evenly constricted between the seeds.