Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from near Nerren Nerren Stn N of the Murchison R. S to Naraling and near Mullewa, and in the Coorow–Winchester area, south-western W.A.

Description

Dense shrub 1.5–2 m high, densely tomentose to appressed-pubescent with hairs especially obvious on new shoots and peduncles. Phyllodes narrowly linear to narrowly oblong-oblanceolate, sometimes subterete, 2–9 cm long, 1–4 mm wide, excentrically mucronulate to rostellate, grey-green, ageing green and ±glabrous; midrib often impressed when dry; lateral nerves absent or obscure; gland 10–20 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences 1- or 2-headed racemes, enclosed when young by scarious brown bracts which may persist to anthesis; raceme axes 1–2 mm long, frequently growing out at anthesis; peduncles (5–) 7–11 mm long; heads obloid to shortly cylindrical, 26–31-flowered, golden; bracteoles slightly exserted in buds. Flowers 5 merous; sepals 3/4–5/6-united. Pods ±submoniliform, to c. 3.5 cm long, 2–3.5 mm wide, thinly crustaceous, breaking readily at slight constrictions between seeds. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, 3–4 mm long, slightly shiny, brown; aril terminal.

Habitat

Grows in red or light brown loam or sandy loam in scrub.

Specimens

W.A.: 8.8 km E of Winchester, C.Chapman s.n. (AD, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, NY, PERTH00151084); 16 km N of Mullewa, J.Goodwin 142 (PERTH); 17 km from Yuna towards Nabawa, B.R.Maslin 3353 (E, MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH); 14.5 km N of Murchison R. on North West Coastal Hwy, B.R.Maslin 3645 (CANB, PERTH).

Notes

Probably related to A. nigripilosa.

The Coorow–Winchester plants often have longer, narrower phyllodes than those further north, i.e. c. 5–9 cm long and 1–2 mm wide compared with c. 2–5 cm long and 1.5–4 mm wide.

FOA Reference

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

Author

Minor edits by J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin