Wildflowers, Photos ... and Gidgee

Acacia cambagei, commonly known as Gidgee , Stinking wattle or Stinking gidgee is a tree commonly encountered by those travelling in remote parts of Australia. It is one of several hundred species of wattle or Acacia most of which are native to and confined to Australia.Image Could Not Be Found

Gidgee is a spreading tree 4–15 m tall with a moderately dense crown. The bark is flaky, thick and dark grey. Image Could Not Be FoundThe small branchlets and phyllodes (“leaves”) are covered with a grey-white, often flaking, waxy covering, giving the whole tree a greyish appearance. The phyllodes are narrowed at both ends, 4–14 cm long, 3–15 mm wide. Flowers occur in clusters of small pale golden yellow balls.

Gidgee is found primarily in semi-arid and arid parts of Queensland but extends into the Northern Territory, South Australia and north-western New South Wales. On the western edge of the Simpson Desert there are stands of the Acacia cambageii, and on the eastern side of the desert there are extensive gidgee woodlands of the very similar and closely related Acacia georginae. These appear like olive groves in the swales, particularly where the soil is more clayey or alkaline. Image Could Not Be Found

Confined to regions where the annual rainfall is between 550mm and 200mm, gidgee is found primarily on flat or undulating ground on heavy clay soils. in the eastern part of it range It often forms mixed communities with brigalow which favours the same soil types. In drier regions gigee is found in wetter depressions and low lying areas.Image Could Not Be Found

Gidgee can be seen as individual trees or in extensive open woodlands. The leaves, bark and litter of A. cambagei produce a characteristic odour, vaguely reminiscent of boiled cabbage, that accounts for the common name of "stinking gidgee". This smell seems to be particularly intense when gidgee is wet or in flower. I have heard it said that stockmen could judge where rain had fallen (and hence where feed might be available) by the smell of gidgee on the wind.

The Latin name honours Richard H. Cambage (1859–1928) who collected extensively in New South Wales.

The trunks of Gidgee trees were successfully used for fenceposts and stockyard posts that last in the ground for many years. Image Could Not Be FoundMore recently gidgee wood is valued for turning and craft work. Like many other Acacias the wood is highly coloured and figured.

Acacia georginae is poisonous to stock as it contains the active ingredient of 1080 poison.

Whereabouts have others seen or smelled Gidgee? Does anyone have a decent photo of Gidgee flowers. I recall once when travelling in a largish convoy, stopping for lunch where there was a big Gidgee in full bloom, but I was so fed up with corrugations and dust that I forgot to put the camera to work!

Cheers,

Val