About Atalaya hemiglauca F.Muell. ex Benth.
Atalaya hemiglauca F.Muell. ex Benth. grows as a shrub or small tree, reaching up to 6 meters in height, and occasionally up to 10 meters. It has pale grey bark, and produces clusters of cream-colored flowers from May to October. Its fruits are samaras that measure 20 to 40 millimeters in length. This species is drought tolerant, suckers freely, and provides shade for livestock.
In terms of distribution and habitat, it grows on sandy and clayey soils, in habitats including flood plains, sandy ridges, and pindan. In Western Australia, it occurs within the Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, and Victoria Bonaparte IBRA bioregions. The Australian Virtual Herbarium provides a map of documented collection locations for this species.
Arrernte people know this species as Arlperrampwe, and use the tree gum it produces. Large globs of tree gum form on the trunk and branches, with some gum running down the bark as it hardens. For use as bushfood, the gum is collected, formed into a lump, kneaded until soft, and then eaten.
