Acacia (Acasia auriculiformes), showing phyllodes on the pinnate leaves.
On 12 August 2020 Wednesday, I had a great surprise to see a plant with two varieties of leaves in a single plant. I was really surprised to see the plant. By observing the same my mind was filled with varieties of questions. This made me to explore more about the same observation.
About:
Acacia, commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoidea of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australia.
Phyllode is the modification of petiole found in Acacia auriculiformis and is actually a modified leaf stem or petioles.
In some plants, these are flattened and widened.
It is green in colour and can carry out the process of photosynthesis.
It helps in reducing the rate of transpiration that is the removal of water from the plant in Xerophytic plants like Acacia auriculiformis . So, Phyllode serves the purpose of the leaf. The phyllodes of Acacia auriculiformis grow alternately on the stem, phyllodes are accepted in the genus Acacia. These plant’s phyllode is about 15-20 cm long and 3-5 cm wide.
Leaves:
Bipinnate only in seedlings, leaf-blades wanting in adult leaves, only flattened winged petioles present (Phyllodes), which are coriaceous, obliquely elliptic, pointed at both ends, nerves parallel, slightly curved or sickle-shaped.
It contains parallel and arching veins.
Habitat:
They are present in all terrestrial habitats, including alpine settings, rain-forests, woodlands, grasslands, coastal dunes and deserts. In drier woodlands or forest they are an important component of the understory.
I am really grateful to know and collect more information about this amazing plant around us.
Post written by
Shiny Maria Bela
PICULET 