Acacia maidenii
Encyclopedia
Acacia maidenii, also known as Maiden's Wattle, is a tree native to Australia
(New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria). It has been introduced into India
(Tamil Nadu
) and Argentina
, and it grows on plantations in South Africa
. It prefers full sun to partial shade and it is often found on the edge of the rainforest. It grows up to 15 m in height by 10-15 m in width. The phyllodes are dark green, alternate along the stem and reach 20 cm in length and 1 to 3 cm in width. It is very fast growing, reaching 1.5 m tall in as little as 5 months. Its flowers have pale yellow spikes up to 6 cm long that often occur in clusters of 2 to 3. The fruit is hairy, about 15 cm long and narrow, often becoming coiled.
In Australia it is listed as being an endangered species
. The tree has a lifespan of more than 30 years. It grows approximately 1 m per year. It is frost tolerant down to -7 °C (about 19 °F), but it is not drought tolerant, so irrigation may be necessary in some growing areas. In its natural range, it tends to grow in places with an average maximum temperature of about 25°C, but it also exists in a range of 22-32°C avg. max. temp. It tends to grow primarily in areas near the coast averaging 1200-1600 mm/year of rainfall, but overall it is found to some extent in an areas ranging 600-2000 mm/year of rainfall.
.
DMT
as well as 0.24% of N-methyltryptamine
. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the concentration of DMT and other tryptamines in A. maidenii is very variable and may be zero in many strains. When smoked, the bark gives a mild hallucinogenic effect. It is also a common admixture ingredient to Australian ayahuasca
brews.
Teracacidin, a flavan-3,4-diol
, can be isolated from A. maidenii heartwood.
Acacia maidenii does well in all types of soil, except those that are waterlogged for lengthy periods of time. The tree's seeds number about 65 seeds/g. Acacia maidenii can be propagated from seed, but, in order to increase the germination rate, the seed should be treated first. It can be soaked in hot water or the seed can be nicked or otherwise mechanically scarified
, so that water will penetrate the seed's hard coating and induce germination.
Germination is highest at temperatures between 21-27°C.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria). It has been introduced into India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
) and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and it grows on plantations in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It prefers full sun to partial shade and it is often found on the edge of the rainforest. It grows up to 15 m in height by 10-15 m in width. The phyllodes are dark green, alternate along the stem and reach 20 cm in length and 1 to 3 cm in width. It is very fast growing, reaching 1.5 m tall in as little as 5 months. Its flowers have pale yellow spikes up to 6 cm long that often occur in clusters of 2 to 3. The fruit is hairy, about 15 cm long and narrow, often becoming coiled.
In Australia it is listed as being an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. The tree has a lifespan of more than 30 years. It grows approximately 1 m per year. It is frost tolerant down to -7 °C (about 19 °F), but it is not drought tolerant, so irrigation may be necessary in some growing areas. In its natural range, it tends to grow in places with an average maximum temperature of about 25°C, but it also exists in a range of 22-32°C avg. max. temp. It tends to grow primarily in areas near the coast averaging 1200-1600 mm/year of rainfall, but overall it is found to some extent in an areas ranging 600-2000 mm/year of rainfall.
Uses
It makes an attractive ornamental tree along streets and in parks. It is very good for reforestation in suitable areas. The exudates from the trunk (like gum or pitch) have been used in the past for food by indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
Phytochemicals
Fitzgerald and Siournis reported in the Australian Journal of Chemistry (1965, volume 18, pp. 433-4) that a sample of the bark contained 0.36% of the hallucinogenPsychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants
This general group of pharmacological agents can be divided into three broad categories: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants. These classes of psychoactive drugs have in common that they can cause subjective changes in perception, thought, emotion and consciousness...
DMT
Dimethyltryptamine
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family. DMT is found in several plants, and also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme INMT...
as well as 0.24% of N-methyltryptamine
N-Methyltryptamine
N-Methyltryptamine , or methyltryptamine, is a member of the tryptamine chemical class. It is an alkaloid, probably derived from L-tryptophan, that has been found in the bark, shoots and leaves of several plant species, including Virola, Acacia, Mimosa and Desmanthus often together with the...
. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the concentration of DMT and other tryptamines in A. maidenii is very variable and may be zero in many strains. When smoked, the bark gives a mild hallucinogenic effect. It is also a common admixture ingredient to Australian ayahuasca
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is any of various psychoactive infusions or decoctions prepared from the Banisteriopsis spp. vine, usually mixed with the leaves of dimethyltryptamine-containing species of shrubs from the Psychotria genus...
brews.
Teracacidin, a flavan-3,4-diol
Leucoanthocyanidin
Leucoanthocyanidin are colorless chemical compounds related to anthocyanidins and anthocyanins. Leucoanthocyanins can be found in Anadenanthera peregrina and in several species of Nepenthes including Nepenthes rajah, Nepenthes burbidgeae, Nepenthes tentaculata, Nepenthes × alisaputrana and...
, can be isolated from A. maidenii heartwood.
Cultivation
USDA Zone 9 is recommended.Acacia maidenii does well in all types of soil, except those that are waterlogged for lengthy periods of time. The tree's seeds number about 65 seeds/g. Acacia maidenii can be propagated from seed, but, in order to increase the germination rate, the seed should be treated first. It can be soaked in hot water or the seed can be nicked or otherwise mechanically scarified
Scarification (botany)
Scarification in botany involves cutting the seed coat using abrasion, thermal stress, or chemicals to encourage germination.-In botany:Scarification is a natural process important for germination of many species' seeds. This process involves the breaching of the natural seed coating by mechanical,...
, so that water will penetrate the seed's hard coating and induce germination.
Germination is highest at temperatures between 21-27°C.