Acacia

Acacia, commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus name is New Latin, borrowed from the Greek ἀκακία (akakia), a term used by Dioscorides for a preparation extracted from the leaves and fruit pods of Vachellia nilotica, the original type of the genus.[3] In his Pinax (1623), Gaspard Bauhin mentioned the Greek ἀκακία from Dioscorides as the origin of the Latin name.[4] In the early 2000s, it had become evident that the genus as it stood was not monophyletic and that several divergent lineages needed to be placed in separate genera. It turned out that one lineage comprising over 900 species mainly native to Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia was not closely related to the much smaller group of African lineage that contained A. nilotica—the type species. This meant that the Australasian lineage (by far the most prolific in number of species) would need to be renamed. Botanist Leslie Pedley named this group Racosperma, which received little acclaim in the botanical community. Australian botanists proposed a less disruptive solution setting a different type species for Acacia (A. penninervis) and allowing this largest number of species to remain in Acacia, resulting in the two Pan-Tropical lineages being renamed Vachellia and Senegalia, and the two endemic American lineages renamed Acaciella and Mariosousa.[5] Although many botanists still disagreed that this was necessary, this solution was eventually officially adopted at the Melbourne International Botanical Congress in 2011.
Acacia remains a widely used common name across genera.
A number of species have been introduced to various parts of the world, and two million hectares of commercial plantations have been established.[6] The heterogeneous group[7] varies considerably in habit, from mat-like subshrubs to canopy trees in a forest.[8]
Description
Acacia fasciculifera shoot, showing phyllodes on the pinnate leaves, formed by dilation of the petiole and proximal part of the rachis[9]
Acacia penninervis Several species in the genus bear vertically oriented phyllodes, which are green, broadened leaf petioles that function like leaf blades,[10] an adaptation to hot climates and droughts.[11] Some phyllodinous species have a colourful aril on the seed.[9] A few species have cladodes rather than leaves.[12]

(1) (Utility/ Bio/CleansTeeth*/Dental*)

(1) (Utility/ Bio/RemoveExhaustion*/SewerPlague*)

(1) (Novel/ Spiritual/Necromancy*/+30days*)

Cleans teeth; Once per week, removes one level of exhaustion due to Sewer Plague (does not cure the disease)

Location

Plains* and Jungles*

Rarity

Common

Description/Effect

A tall tree growing in warmer plain environments with large, sharp thorns on the branches and small, oval shaped leaves. The acacia has long been associated with rituals surrounding the burying and preservation of the dead, and as well as in rituals designed to contact and speak with the dead. If acacia is combined with a solution of melted iron and poured into the hand of a person who is has recently died, the time period in which Raise Dead works is increased to a period of 30 days instead of 10.