Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Common in the Stirling Ra.–Albany area, but probably introduced to the Wannamal–Toodyay–Kalamunda area, W.A.

Description

Shrub usually 1–2 m high. Branchlets ribbed, appressed-puberulous to subglabrous; hairs antrorse. Pinnae usually 2 pairs, 5–20 mm long (distal pinnae); rachis 3–8 mm long, to 20 mm long on 3-jugate leaves; pinnules usually 2–4 pairs, oblong to narrowly oblong or obovate, 5–12 mm long, usually 2–4 mm wide, flat or slightly recurved, green, glabrous to subglabrous; gland on rachis, and often also on petiole. Peduncles puberulous with patent or antrorsely appressed hairs. Petals commonly hairy. Pods puberulous with antrorsely curved or appressed hairs.

Habitat

Favours loam or sand in winter wet depressions in forest and woodland dominated by Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and Wandoo (E. wandoo), and rocky slopes in heath and scrub on higher slopes of Stirling Ra. and, near Perth, on laterite.

Specimens

W.A.: Cape Riche, G.J.Keighery 7021 (PERTH); base of Bluff Knoll, Stirling Ra., B.R.Maslin 1122 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); c. 12 km S of Bindoon, M.D.Tindale 2624 (NSW, PERTH).

Notes

Plants from the Porongurup Ra. reach 4 m high and have distal pinnae with up to 7 pairs of narrowly oblong pinnules 1–2 mm wide (e.g. R.J.Cumming 938, PERTH). The entity described as A. pelloiae is probably a montane variant restricted to the Stirling Ra.

Popular in cultivation and usually considered as being ‘typical’ A. drummondii.

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