Vachellia farnesiana
huisache, needle bush, sweet acacia
usually slightly flexuous, usually glabrous, not glutinous; short shoots present.
7–65 mm;
stipular spines terete, straight, 2–35(–55) × 0.5–1.4 mm near base;
petiole (3–)6–12(–17) mm, usually sparsely to densely pubescent, hairs erect;
petiolar gland 1, usually medial on petiole, sessile or short-stalked, circular to slightly elongated, 0.2–1 mm, apex depressed;
rachis 10–55 mm;
pinnae 2–6(or 7) pairs, 6–33 mm;
leaflets 8–19 pairs per pinna, blades flat, oblong, 1.6–6.3 × 0.5–1.7 mm, base oblique and obtuse, apex broadly acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous, glabrate, or pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially.
globose heads, densely flowered, 6–10 mm diam., solitary or clusters of 2–5 on short shoots;
involucre at base of head (not obvious).
12–36(–45) mm.
bright yellow;
calyx 1.1–1.8 mm, glabrous;
corolla 1.9–2.8 mm, glabrous;
filaments yellow, 3.5–5.5 mm.
oblong, nearly terete or elliptic in cross section, 30–170 × 9–18 mm, constricted or not between seeds.
biseriate, uniseriate, or irregularly arranged.
Vachellia farnesiana
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
Vachellia farnesiana is the most widespread and morphologically variable species in the genus. Segregate species, subspecies, varieties, and forms have been recognized based on habit, leaflet shape, stem and leaflet pubescence, number of pinna pairs, legume size and shape, and seed position.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Shrubs, to 1.5 m, prostrate to ascending; leaflet blades 1.6–3 mm. | var. pinetorum |
1. Shrubs or trees, to 8 m, erect; leaflet blades 3–6.3 mm. | → 2 |
2. Legumes 30–90 mm; seeds biseriate or irregularly arranged. | var. farnesiana |
2. Legumes 100–170 mm; seeds uniseriate. | var. minuta |
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
