Acacia heterophylla Acacia heterophylla Acacia heterophylla, the highland tamarind, is a tree (or shrub in its higher places) endemic to Réunion island where it is commonly named tamarin des hauts The tree has a juvenile stage where its leaves have a pinnate arrangement, but in the adult stage the leaves diminish and the phyllode becomes the dominant photosynthetic structure. It has been introduced into Madagascar where it grows in a subhumid climate at an altitude of about 500–1000 m above sea level. Genetic sequence analysis has shown its closest relative is "Acacia koa" of Hawaii; the estimated time of divergence is about
Leaf nearly petiolate or have an extremely short petiole and may appear to be sessile. In clasping or decurrent leaves, the blade partially surrounds the stem. When the leaf base completely surrounds the stem, the leaves are said to be perfoliate, such as in "Eupatorium perfoliatum". In peltate leaves, the petiole attaches to the blade inside the blade margin. In some "Acacia" species, such as the koa tree ("Acacia koa"), the petioles are expanded or broadened and function like leaf blades; these are called phyllodes. There may or may not be normal pinnate leaves at the tip of the phyllode. A