Common Name

Kowmung Wattle

Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Restricted to the valleys of the Kowmung and adjacent Cox’s R. in the Blue Mtns, N.S.W.

Description

Bushy shrub or tree 2–6 (-10) m high. Branchlets often pruinose, with indumentum of sparse to moderately dense minute appressed straight hairs. Phyllodes narrowly oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, (2.5–) 3.5–6.5 cm long, 4–10 mm wide, mucronulate, thin, ±glaucous, with indumentum as on branchlets (young tips greyish white due to denser indumentum), 1‑nerved; lateral nerves obscure; gland 2–7 mm above pulvinus, submerged and swollen within the lamina in a ±pouched fashion. Inflorescences racemose; raceme axes 1.5–5. cm long, with indumentum as on branchlets; peduncles 2–4 mm long; heads globular, small, 7–9-flowered, bright light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals ±free; ovary glabrous. Pods raised over seeds along midline, to 6 cm long, 7–10 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, pruinose, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to slightly ovate, 5.5–6 mm long, shiny, black; aril clavate.

Habitat

Grows in skeletal soil on rocky slopes of commonly slate or shale, or in gravel and alluvium along creeks, in dry sclerophyll Eucalyptus forest.

Specimens

N.S.W.: Squatting Rock Gap, 4.8 km W of Yerranderie, E.F.Constable 5654 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); Armour Ra., NW of Yerranderie, A.Rodd 504 (NSW).

Notes

Most closely related to A. caesiella and A. barringtonensis but distinguished especially by its glabrous ovary, generally fewer-flowered heads and submerged, swollen, pouch-like gland (somewhat similar to those of A. kettlewelliae).

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

B.R.Maslin