Friday, 22 May 2009

Acacia mangium

Acacia mangium is a species of flowering tree in the Fabaceae family, , that is native to northeastern Queensland in Australia, the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, Papua, and the eastern Maluku Islands.


Common names include Black Wattle, Hickory Wattle, mangge hutan, mangium, Sabah salwood, tongke hutan.


Acacia mangium grows best in warm climates with 1500 to 3000 mm of mean annual rainfall. These soils are acid with medium-to-low fertility and can be poorly drained. Soils with high pH are not tolerated.


Acacia mangium is a fast-growing, medium-sized, evergreen tree with phyllodes that serve as leaves. Trees reach 30 m in height and 60 cm in diameter in their native range. The bark is reddish brown and lightly furrowed









Branchlets, phyllodes and petioles glabrous or slightly scurfy. Phyllodes 5-10 cm broad, 2-4 times as long as broad, dark green, chartaceous when dry. The phyllodes have (3-)4 longitudinal main nerves which join on the dorsal margin at the base of the phyllode, secondary nerves fine and inconspicuous.








The dark brown, crinkled, and coiled ripe pods partially open, and the small (2.5 by 4 mm), black seeds hang by orange, fleshy funicles. The seeds are dispersed when small birds consume the oily funicle or they eventually fall to the ground under the mother trees. Individual trees in an A. mangium plantation produced 1 kg of seed per year





Acacia mangium is planted primarily for site rehabilitation. Its quick growth and dense shade make it an effective tool in reforesting Imperata grass swards and reducing fire risk. Its ability to grow well on infertile soils, especially those low in phosphorus, make it a favorite for rehabilitation of mine spoils and eroded sites. The tree also produces a usable wood. It is hard and has an air-dry specific gravity of 0.69. The sapwood is cream colored; the heartwood is yellow-brown. The wood is suitable for particleboard, plywood, veneer, pulp, fenceposts, firewood, and charcoal. The leaves can be used as livestock fodder


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_mangium
Francis, John K. , 2003,
"Acacia mangium Willd" , Tropical Tree Seed Manual. Reforestation, Nurseries & Genetics Resources.

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