Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from Helidon, south-eastern Qld, S to Gibraltar Ra. and Maclean, north-eastern N.S.W.

Description

Slender shrub 1–4 m high. Branchlets ±angled, ribbed, pubescent. Phyllodes ascending, mostly narrowly elliptic, straight to slightly incurved, 6.5–15 cm long, 4.5–13 mm wide, acute, mucronulate, coriaceous, glabrous except puberulous at base and on pulvinus, with numerous distant main nerves (commonly 3 slightly more evident than the rest), ±sparingly longitudinally reticulate; gland single, c. 4 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences 1–3-headed racemes, sometimes appearing simple; raceme axes (0.5–) 1–6 (–10) mm long, pubescent; peduncles 7–16 mm long, puberulous; heads globular, 7–9 mm diam., 30–40-flowered, creamy white; bracteoles shortly stipitate, oblanceolate-spathulate. Flowers 5‑merous; sepals 2/3-united. Pods narrowly oblong, raised over seeds alternately on each side, straight, to 8.5 cm long, 6–8 (–9.5) mm wide, coriaceous, puberulous except margins. Seeds longitudinal, broadly oblong-elliptic, 5–5.5 mm long, dull, dark brown; funicle/aril thick, fleshy, in 2 or 3 terminal folds.

Habitat

Grows in sand in dry sclerophyll forest.

Specimens

Qld: Lowood, H.Boyd (NSW107625). N.S.W.: Pacific Hwy, 20 km S of Woodburn, I.B.Armitage 1364 (BRI, NSW, PERTH); New Italy, W.Baeuerlen (NSW222583); Yuraygir Natl Park, 12 km W of Wilsons Headland, S.Griffith 022 (NSW).

Notes

Related to A. venulosa which is most readily distinguished by its generally shorter phyllodes and peduncles, golden flower-heads and spathulate bracteoles with the blade concave. May be confused with A. tessellata which has ±glabrous peduncles and pods. Also similar to A. veronica.

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 B.R.Maslin & J.Reid

R.S.Cowan, B.R.Maslin