One explanation for the name is the similarity of the flowers to those of Australian Acacia, which are commonly known as wattles.

Another explanation is its use in wattle and daub huts of the early settlers.

The pale-yellow globular flower heads appear in late spring and early summer (November to December in Australia).

The first published description of the species in 1809 is attributed to Henry Cranke Andrews.

It occurs within and on the edges of rainforest in near-coastal areas within New South Wales and southeast Queensland, mostly along drainage lines or near creeks.