Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from Middle Mt Barren E to the Young R., south-western W.A.

Description

Much-branched diffuse shrub, normally 0.2–0.5 m high. Bark light grey. Branchlets hirsutellous or glabrous. Stipule bases commonly persisting as tooth-like projections. Phyllodes subdistant, sessile, patent to slightly reflexed, narrowly triangular to linear or narrowly oblong, 6.5–20 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, pungent, green, glabrous or subglabrous; midrib not prominent; gland basal. Inflorescences mostly 1- or 2-headed racemes; raceme axes 1–2 mm long, often growing out at anthesis; peduncles 3–7 mm long, glabrous or subglabrous; heads sparse, globular, 5–7-flowered, normally cream to white. Flowers 5-merous; sepals 1/3–1/2-united, c. 1/4 length of petals; petals nerveless. Pods submoniliform, to 5 cm long, 4–5.5 mm wide, thinly coriaceous, finely longitudinally reticulate, glabrous, dehiscing along adaxial suture. Seeds longitudinal, elliptic, 4.5–6 mm long, dull, dark brown; aril ±conical, terminal.

Habitat

Grows in often rocky or lateritic clay or clay loam in mallee scrub or heath.

Specimens

W.A.: Bandelup Ck, E of Ravensthorpe, K.M.Allan 165 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); Kundip, C.A.Gardner 2943 (BM, PERTH); 0.8 km W of Young R. Crossing, Ravensthorpe–Esperance road, B.R.Maslin 2552 (AD, CANB, K, NY, PERTH).

Notes

Related to A. plautella. The Murchison R., Oldfield specimen (n.v.) referred to by G.Bentham in the protologue of A. ingrata is probably A. andrewsii. A rare pink-flowered individual was recently discovered near Ravensthorpe.

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 & J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin