Earleaf acacia

Acacia auriculiformis is a thornless, medium-sized and evergreen tree growing up to 15 m high.

The bark of Acacia auriculiformis is rough, greyish or light brown-coloured. The bark is longitudinally fissured and transversally cracked.

The leaf of Acacia auriculiformis is actually an expanded petiole resembling and having the function of a leaf, a phyllode.
The phyllodes of Acacia auriculiformis grow alternately on the stem (spirally arranged).
The phyllode is bright green-coloured. It is coriaceous, leathery and glabrous on both sides.
The phyllode of Acacia auriculiformis is 15-20 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. The shape is elliptic and falcate, the apex is obtuse or acute, the base is attenuate and the margins are entire.
The phyllode has parallel and arching veins.

The flowers of Acacia auriculiformis are grouped in axillary and terminal spikes. The bright-yellow spikes are 6-8 cm long and have a 0.8-1 cm peduncle.
The calyx-tube is cup-shaped with 5 short and triangular lobes. The calyx is light green yellowish and glabrous.
The corolla is composed of 5 yellow-coloured and glabrous petals. The petals are ovate-lanceolate and recurved, about 1 mm long and 0.6-0.7 mm wide.
The androecium is composed of numerous and bright yellow stamens. The filaments are 1.5-2 mm with tiny and globular anthers.
The style is yellow-coloured, 2.5-3 mm long and the stigma is simple.
The ovary is globose and about 1 mm across.
The flowers are fragrant.
 

The fruit of Acacia auriculiformis is a coiled and spirally twisted pod. The pod is 6-8 cm long and 1 cm wide, flattened and it usually contains 5-7 seeds. The pod is brownish-coloured and woody when ripe.

The seeds of Acacia auriculiformis are ovate, 5 mm long and 4 mm wide. The seeds are dark brown-coloured and encircled by a long showy yellowish-orange-coloured and fleshy funicle.

The flowers of Acacia auriculiformis are a source of pollen for honey production.

The wood of Acacia auriculiformis is dense and delivers high energy. It is a major source of firewood. It also provides very good charcoal.

- Erosion control: Its spreading, superficial and densely matted root system makes Acacia auriculiformis suitable for stabilizing eroded land.

- Shade or shelter: The dense, dark-green foliage, which remains throughout the dry season, makes Acacia auriculiformis an excellent shade tree.
Acacia auriculiformis is planted to provide shelter on beaches and beachfronts.

- Reclamation: The spreading, densely matted root system stabilizes eroding land. Its rapid early growth, even on infertile sites, and tolerance of both highly acidic and alkaline soils make it popular for stabilizing and revegetating mine spoils.

- Soil improver: Plantations of Acacia auriculiformis improve soil physio-chemical properties such as water-holding capacity, organic carbon, nitrogen and potassium through litter fall. Its phyllodes provide a good, long-lasting mulch.

- Nitrogen fixing: Acacia auriculiformis can fix nitrogen after nodulating with a range of Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium strains. It also has associations with both ecto- and endo-mycorrhizal fungi.

- Ornamental: Acacia auriculiformis is used for shade and ornamental purposes in cities where its hardiness, dense foliage and bright yellow flowers are positive attributes.

Source : Wikipedia

Acacia auriculiformis is sometimes used as fodder.
In India 1-year-old plantations are browsed by cattle. (Wikipedia)

The wood is extensively used for paper pulp and large-scale plantations have already been established for the production of pulp.

The wood of Acacia auriculiformis is fine-grained, often attractively figured and finishes well. It is excellent for turnery articles, toys, carom coins, chessmen and handicrafts. It is also used for furniture, joinery, tool handles and for construction if trees of suitable girth are available.

The bark contains sufficient tannin (13-25%) for commercial exploitation and contains 6-14% of a natural dye.
The bark is use as tanning material and a natural dye is also extracted from the bark.

Source : Wikipedia

A decoction of the root of Acacia auriculiformis is used to treat aches and pains and sore eyes.

An infusion of the bark is used to treat rheumatism.