Karroo thorn
Acacia karroo
Biosecurity Queensland must be contacted within 24 hours of sighting, call: 13 25 23.
family
Mimosaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Category 1 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)
Category 1 – must be reported to a Queensland Government inspector within 24 hours
Common names
Cape gum, Cape thorn tree, Gum arabic tree, Karroo thorn, Karroothorn, Mimosa thorn, Sour thorn, Sweet thorn, Sweet thorn acacia, Sweet-thorn, Umbrella thorn, White thorn, Whitethorn.
Schedule 1 Prohibited Matter Biosecurity Queensland must be contacted within 24 hours 13 25 23., A thorny shrub or tree with twice-compound leaves. It has a pair of large, straight, whitish-coloured spines (up to 25 cm long) near the base of each leaf. Its yellow or golden-yellow flowers are borne in small dense globular clusters (10-15 mm across) in the leaf forks. Its large, elongated and flattened pods (6-16 cm long) are curved or sickle-shaped in nature.
Impact
Impact
Karroo thorn (Acacia karroo) is on the Alert List for Environmental Weeds, a list of 28 plants that threaten biodiversity and have the potential to seriously degrade Australia's ecosystems. Though this species is not yet well established in Australia, it has the potential to invade grasslands and rangelands over much of southern Australia and become a major woody weed in this country. It has the ability to establish and form dense thickets or monocultures in native vegetation and may exclude existing native grasses and other native vegetation in certain areas. Areas of open vegetation in southern Australia, where the annual rainfall is below 1000 mm, are considered most at risk from this species.In its native homeland in southern Africa, this species is the most important woody invader of grazing lands and native grassland vegetation, and in some areas it occurs as a dominant part of river bed vegetation. Karroo thorn (Acacia karroo) is a pioneer species and generally invades disturbed areas. Its invasion in southern Africa is thought to largely be a result of the reduction in competition between grasses and woody plants as a result of overgrazing.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Karroo thorn (Acacia karroo) is on the Alert List for Environmental Weeds, a list of 28 plants that threaten biodiversity and have the potential to seriously degrade Australia's ecosystems. Though this species is not yet well established in Australia, it has the potential to invade grasslands and rangelands over much of southern Australia and become a major woody weed in this country. It has the ability to establish and form dense thickets or monocultures in native vegetation and may exclude existing native grasses and other native vegetation in certain areas. Areas of open vegetation in southern Australia, where the annual rainfall is below 1000 mm, are considered most at risk from this species.In its native homeland in southern Africa, this species is the most important woody invader of grazing lands and native grassland vegetation, and in some areas it occurs as a dominant part of river bed vegetation. Karroo thorn (Acacia karroo) is a pioneer species and generally invades disturbed areas. Its invasion in southern Africa is thought to largely be a result of the reduction in competition between grasses and woody plants as a result of overgrazing.
