Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Known only from the type locality and Mount Gibson Stn, south-western W.A.

Description

Dense, intricate, low-domed, semi-prostrate, spreading shrub 0.3–1 m high, to 3 m across. Branches grey, glabrous,; branchlets numerous, short, straight, rigid, divaricate, spinescent, often devoid of phyllodes. Phyllodes asymmetric, arcuate-oblong or widely elliptic, with upper margin straight to shallowly concave and lower margin markedly convex, some reflexed, 3.5–7 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, obtuse, excentrically mucronate with upturned mucro, subglaucous, glabrous; midrib slightly raised; lateral nerves ascending and anastomosing near margins. Inflorescences simple or sometimes a rudimentary 1-headed raceme inserted with vegetative bud on a common axis < 0.5 mm long; peduncles 3–5 (–6) mm long, glabrous or antrorsely appressed-puberulous; heads obloid to shortly cylindrical, 6–8 mm long, 4–5 mm diam., presumably golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals 1/2-3/4-united. Pods tightly coiled as in Medicago, to 7 mm long (unexpanded), with valves 3 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 3 mm long, dull, dark brown; aril minute, subterminal.

Habitat

Grows in rocky red loam on slopes in tall shrubland.

Specimens

W.A.: type locality, B.R.Maslin 4239 (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH); 3.5 km N of Mount Gibson HS, B.R.Maslin 6654 (PERTH).

Notes

Related to and partially sympatric with A. kochii.

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 J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin