Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Known only from Marvel Loch, Frank Hann Natl Park and near Forrestonia, W.A.

Description

Diffuse shrub 0.5–1.5 m high. Branchlets red-brown at extremities, ageing light grey, glabrous. Stipules caducous, minute, c. 0.2 mm long. Phyllodes on short stem-projections, ±sessile, patent, acicular, drying pentagonal-terete, 10–25 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, pungent, rigid, thick, smooth, glabrous, subglaucous except nerves yellow, 5-nerved; gland 2–4 mm above base. Inflorescences rudimentary 1- or 2-headed racemes with axes < 0.5 mm long; peduncles 2–3 (–4) mm long, glabrous; basal bract 2–3 mm long, brown and enclosing buds, patent or recurved from base in fruit; heads globular, small, 10-flowered, golden; bracteoles absent. Flowers 5-merous; sepals absent. Pods (slightly immature) narrowly oblong, shallowly sigmoid or shallowly curved to circinnate, flat, 1–4 cm long, 5-8 mm wide, thinly coriaceous-crustaceous, greyish, glabrous; margins thickened. Seeds (slightly immature) oblique, obovate, 3 mm long, brown; aril narrowly clavate, extending 1/2 to wholly down one side of the seed.

Habitat

Grows in loam or sandy loam in low Eucalyptus woodland.

Specimens

W.A.: 6 km SE of Marvel Loch, K.Newbey 5817 (PERTH).

Notes

Unusual in lacking calyx and bracteoles. Similar in its branchlets and phyllodes to A. calcarata which has much longer, persistent stipules, longer peduncles, heads with bracteoles and more flowers, as well as united sepals. Phyllodes resemble those of A. colletioides which has prominently 8-nerved phyllodes with evident stomata.

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 J.Rogers