Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Widespread in southern Australia from near Wubin, W.A., through S.A. to north-western Vic. and south-western N.S.W. near Dareton. An outlier occurs at Mt Lindsey in north-western S.A.

Description

Shrub 0.3–2 m high. Branchlets glabrous or pubescent. Phyllodes semi-terete when very narrow, (2–) 3–8 mm long, 0.5–3 (–4) mm wide, green, infrequently glaucous, glabrous or pubescent. Seeds 2–2.5 mm long, widely elliptic, light brown.

Habitat

Grows in sand or loam in a variety of vegetation types.

Specimens

W.A.: 36.9 km NE of Cosmo Newberry, A.S.George 2875 (PERTH); about 14.4 km due SW of Bruce Rock, B.R.Maslin 1803 (PERTH). S.A.: 16 km N of Mt Lindsay, 25 July 1980, D.Hewett s.n. (PERTH). N.S.W.: ‘Montarna’ between Buronga and Pooncarie, W.E.Mulham 1350 (NSW). Vic.: 57.8 km W of Hattah, A.C.Beauglehole 40492 (MEL).

Notes

Broad-phyllode forms may resemble A. ericksoniae and A. bidentata. Acacia pulviniformis differs from this subspecies in having a very prostrate habit, fewer flowers per head and usually narrower and differently shaped phyllodes.

In W.A. this subspecies reaches a height of 1 m, but in eastern Australia it reaches 1.5–2 m (fide G.M.Cunningham et al., Pl. W New South Wales 352 (1981), and D.J.E.Whibley & D.E.Symon, Acacias S. Australia 2nd edn, 48 (1992)).

Phyllodes usually do not exceed 3 mm wide but in S.A. they occasionally reach 4 mm.

FOA Reference

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia

Author

B.R.Maslin

Minor edits by B.R.Maslin & J.Rogers