Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs in near-coastal areas from the Pallinup R. E to Israelite Bay, south-western W.A.

Description

Shrub 0.5–1 m high. Bark grey. Branchlets puberulous or appressed-puberulous, glabrescent. Phyllodes rather crowded, inequilateral, ±crescent-shaped and acuminate with a conspicuous triangular gland-bearing spur on adaxial margin, sometimes obdeltate, 7–16 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, pungent, glabrous; midrib central or near abaxial margin; gland on a conspicuous angle on upper margin of phyllode, overtopped by a spinule. Inflorescences simple, 1 per axil; peduncles 1–7 mm long, glabrous; heads obloid to short-cylindrical, densely 18–32-flowered, pale yellow or golden. Flowers 4-merous; sepals c. 1/4-united, with lobes ±oblong. Pods ±moniliform, straight or shallowly curved, to 4.5 cm long, 3–4 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, brown, glabrous or subglabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong to elliptic, 3–4 mm long, dull, brown; aril terminal, conical.

Habitat

Grows on flats (rarely on slopes) in sand or loam, in low open woodland or tall shrubland.

Specimens

W.A.: c. 7 km W of Israelite Bay, A.S.George 16009 (PERTH); c. 1 km due S of Mt Maxwell, Fitzgerald R. Natl Park, B.R.Maslin 3486 (AD, BRI, CANB, G, K, MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH); 25 km NW of Point Irby, K.Newbey 4930 (PERTH).

Notes

The taxonomic affinities of this species are unknown (fide B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 2: 324 (1978)). It is unique within Acacia on account of the small, cusp-like mucro which overtops the gland. Other distinguishing characters are its obloid to short-cylindrical heads with 18–32 tetramerous flowers and ±moniliform, firmly chartaceous pods.

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