Acacia estrophiolata
Encyclopedia
Acacia estrophiolata, commonly known as the Ironwood or Southern Ironwood, is a tree native to Central Australia
.
It is a graceful, pendulous shade tree, which grows from about 4-16 m tall and has a trunk with a diameter
of up to about 0.45 m. Young plants are spiky leaved. It has pale yellow flowers after winter rains.
It is usually found in areas with about 220-350 mm/year of average rainfall.
would use the gum from the tree as a sweet bushtucker treat. Its name in the Arrernte language of Central Australia
is Ngkwarle athenge arlperle. It is still sometimes eaten today.
The gum is snapped off the branches, either clear or red. It is then be ground and mixed with a little water, then left to set again to a chewable gum, and eaten with a small stick.
. The seeds are edible and are 28.9% protein
.
problems such as burns, cuts, scabies
, sores and it is also used for treating major wound
s. It is used as a lotion to treat eye
problems.
. It is used by indigenous Australians
to make spear
s and arrow
s.
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
.
It is a graceful, pendulous shade tree, which grows from about 4-16 m tall and has a trunk with a diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
of up to about 0.45 m. Young plants are spiky leaved. It has pale yellow flowers after winter rains.
It is usually found in areas with about 220-350 mm/year of average rainfall.
Food
Traditionally, Australian AboriginesAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
would use the gum from the tree as a sweet bushtucker treat. Its name in the Arrernte language of Central Australia
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
is Ngkwarle athenge arlperle. It is still sometimes eaten today.
Forage
The tree makes good forage for livestockLivestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. The seeds are edible and are 28.9% protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
.
Traditional medicine
Parts of the tree are used topically to treat skinHuman skin
The human skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system. The skin has multiple layers of ectodermal tissue and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Human skin is similar to that of most other mammals,...
problems such as burns, cuts, scabies
Scabies
Scabies , known colloquially as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching...
, sores and it is also used for treating major wound
Wound
A wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut or punctured , or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion . In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.-Open:...
s. It is used as a lotion to treat eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
problems.
Wood
The wood is very hard and it is good for making posts for fencesFences
Fences is a 1983 play by American playwright August Wilson. Set in the 1950s, it is the sixth in Wilson's ten-part Pittsburgh Cycle. Like all of the Pittsburgh plays, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes...
. It is used by indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
to make spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s and arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
s.