Acacia melanoxylon
Australian blackwood | |
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Flowering twigs of Acacia melanoxylon | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
Genus: | Acacia |
Species: | A. melanoxylon
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Binomial name | |
Acacia melanoxylon | |
Range of Acacia melanoxylon | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Acacia melanoxylon, commonly known as the Australian blackwood, is an Acacia species native to south-eastern Australia. The species is also known as blackwood, hickory, mudgerabah, Tasmanian blackwood, or blackwood acacia. The tree belongs to the Plurinerves section of Acacia and is one of the most wide-ranging tree species in eastern Australia and is quite variable mostly in the size and shape of the phyllodes.[2]
Description
The tree is able to grow to a height of around 20 m (66 ft) and has a
In its native area it blooms between July and December producing
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by the botanist Robert Brown in 1813 as a part of the William Aiton work Hortus Kewensis. It was reclassified as Racosperma melanoxylon by Leslie Pedley in 1986 then returned to genus Acacia in 2006. Several other synonyms are known including Acacia arcuata, Mimosa melanoxylon and Acacia melanoxylon var. obtusifolia.[5]
Distribution
In its native range the tree is found down the east coast of
Timber
Acacia melanoxylon is valued for its decorative timber which may be used in cabinets, musical instruments and in boatbuilding.[citation needed]
Appearance
Sapwood may range in colour from straw to grey-white with clear demarcation from the heartwood. The heartwood is golden to dark brown with chocolate growth rings. The timber is generally straight grained but may be wavy or interlocked. Quartersawn surfaces may produce an attractive fiddleback figure. The wood is lustrous and possesses a fine to medium texture.[6]
The name of the wood may refer to dark stains on the hands of woodworkers, caused by the high levels of tannin in the timber.[citation needed]
Properties
Acacia melanoxylon timber has a density of approximately 660 kg/m3 and is strong in compression, resistant to impact and is moderately stiff. It is moderately blunting to work with tools and bends well. It may be nailed or screwed with ease, but gluing may produce variable results. The wood is easily stained and produces a high-quality finish.[citation needed]
Australian blackwood seasons easily with some possible cupping when boards are inadequately restrained. The timber produces little movement once seasoned.
The timber may be attacked by furniture beetles, termites and powder-post beetles (sapwood). It is resistant to effective preservative treatments.[citation needed]
Invasive species
It has been introduced to many countries for forestry plantings and as an ornamental tree. It now is present in Africa, Asia, Europe, Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, South America and the United States. It is a declared noxious weed species in South Africa and is a pest in Portugal's Azores Islands. It was also recently listed by the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) as an invasive weed that may cause limited impact (Knapp 2003). Its use as a street tree is being phased out in some locales because of the damage it often causes to pavements and underground plumbing. In some regions of Tasmania, blackwood is now considered a pest.[citation needed]
Uses
Indigenous Australians use various parts of this tree in a wide variety of ways.[7] The seed is edible, while the tree's leaves are used as soap or a fishing poison.[7][8] The bark can be used to make string or a traditional analgesic.[7][9] The hard timber is used to make clap sticks, spear-throwers and shields.[7][10]
The wood has many uses including wood panels, furniture, fine cabinetry, tools, boats, inlaid boxes and wooden kegs. It is approximately the same quality as walnut, and is well-suited for shaping with steam. The bark has a tannin content of about 20%.[11] It may also be used for producing decorative veneers.[citation needed]
This tree can also be used as a fire barrier plant, amongst other plants, in rural situations.
Plain and figured Australian blackwood is used in musical instrument making (in particular guitars, drums, Hawaiian ukuleles, violin bows and organ pipes), and in recent years has become increasingly valued as a substitute for koa wood.[12]
References
Notes
- ^ ILDIS LegumeWeb
- ^ a b "Acacia melanoxylon R. Br" (PDF). World Wide Wattle. Western Australian Herbarium. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Acacia melanoxylon (Australian Blackwood)". Keys and Fact sheets. Bionet. 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Acacia melanoxylon R.Br". PlantNet. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Acacia melanoxylon R.Br". Atlas of Living Australia. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ Porter, Terry (2006). Wood: Identification and Use. East Sussex, GB: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd. p. 37.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-921117-15-2.
- ^ "A. Melanoxylon". Archived from the original on 2007-05-27. Retrieved 2007-06-19.
- ^ Analgesic Plants Archived April 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Australian New Crops Newsletter
- ^ "Aboriginal Plant use and Technology" (PDF). Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ^ Google Books Select Extra-tropical Plants Readily Eligible for Industrial Culture Or Naturalization By Ferdinand von Mueller
- ^ "Website". Exotic Wood Zone. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
General references
- Cal-IPC Plant Assessment Form (https://web.archive.org/web/20070927131037/http://portal.cal-ipc.org/files/PAFs/Acacia%20melanoxylon.pdf)
External links
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070928160933/http://www.ellisguitars.com/AustralianBlackwood.html Musical instrument maker utilizing Acacia melanoxylon
- https://web.archive.org/web/20090526074902/http://www.fidockdrums.com/product.htm#blackwood
- Management of Blackwood in Plantations [1]