Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Recorded from Mabel Downs and Springvale Stns and Dimond Gorge on the Fitzroy R., W.A.

Description

Erect shrub to 2 m high. Branchlets densely white-hispid. Stipules erect, subulate, 1.5–2 mm long. Phyllodes 15–20 per whorl, slender, ±straight, 5–10 mm long, hispid with hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long; lower phyllodes erect; upper phyllodes spreading to gently recurved; mucro 1.5–4 mm long, ±incurved and commonly with viscid droplets. Peduncles 1.7–3 cm long, hispid. Heads 40–50-flowered. Flowers with calyx c. 0.8 mm long (c. ¼ the length of the corolla), glabrous; calyx lobes subulate, short; corolla 2–2.3 mm long, ±striate, hispid in upper half. Pods sessile, 2–3.5 cm long, 5–6 mm wide, glabrous. Seeds 3–10 per pod, longitudinal, c. 4 mm long; pleurogram closed; aril large.

Habitat

Grows on sandstone and granite hillsides in Eucalyptus brevifolia woodland.

Specimens

W.A.: Dimond Gorge, c. 70 km NE of Fitzroy Crossing, Fitzroy R., A.C.Beauglehole 53813 (BRI, PERTH); c. 45 km NW of Springvale Stn, M.Lazarides 5068 (CANB, MEL); Ord R., 1888, Nyntasy (MEL); Halls Creek, 1895, W.Mansbridge (MEL).

Notes

Has more flowers per head than many others of the section. Because of phyllode hair density and length the foliage has a distinctive smoky grey appearance. Closely related to A. mackenziei and has some affinities with A. claviseta and A. prolata. Resembles A. lycopodiifolia but larger in its vegetative parts. The early collections from Ord R. and Halls Creek possibly have general locality data.

FOA Reference

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

Author

A.S.George

Edits by BRM