Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Confined to an area from Pine Hill at the N end of Cape Arid Natl Park W to 50 km beyond Grass Patch (Grass Patch is c. 70 km N of Esperance), W.A.

Description

Spreading shrub to 0.6 m high. Branchlets villous to tomentulose. Stipules 3–4 mm long, scarious. Phyllodes asymmetrically narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, (13–) 15–25 (–30) mm long, (4–) 5–10 mm wide, obtuse, with ±excentric normally slightly pungent mucro, coriaceous, ±appressed-puberulous (at least when young); midrib inconspicuous; lateral nerves indistinct; gland inconspicuous, 2.5–5 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences rudimentary, normally 2‑headed racemes with axes less than 0.5 mm long, sometimes growing out following anthesis; peduncles 4–6 (–9) mm long, hairy, commonly recurved in fruit; basal bract 2–3 mm long; heads globular to slightly obloid, 4.5–5.5 mm diam., 19–25-flowered, lemon yellow; bracteoles acuminate, brown, exserted in buds. Flowers 4-merous; sepals 2/3–3/4-united. Pods arcuate, to 6 cm long, 5–7 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, minutely subvelvety. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic, c. 4 mm long, dull, black; aril sublateral, clavate, cream.

Habitat

Grows in sand over clay or calcareous (infrequently granitic) loam, in mallee woodland or shrubland, sometimes near salt lakes.

Specimens

W.A.: Pine Hill, A.S.George 16110 (PERTH); Parmango Rd adjacent to Clyde Hill, B.R.Maslin 5830 (CANB, PERTH); 50 km W of Grass Patch, K.Newbey 9683 (PERTH).

Notes

Acacia merrallii is similar in phyllode shape and size but differs significantly in having 5-merous flowers, free sepals, semi-terete, arcuate to ±irregularly coiled, narrower pods and conspicuous, bright orange arils.

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