Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Known only from the Mt Singleton–Mt Gibson–Wanarra area between Wubin and Paynes Find in south-western W.A.

Description

Spreading intricate shrub, usually 0.5–2 m high. Branches glabrous to subglabrous, with 1 or 2 patent thorns 0.5–2 cm long at many nodes. Phyllodes fasciculate at mature nodes, asymmetrically narrowly oblong-elliptic to narrowly oblong-oblanceolate, often ±lunate, 1–2 cm long, 2–7 mm wide, obtuse and often mucronulate, thin, glabrous to subglabrous; midrib not prominent; lateral nerves ±impressed, sublongitudinal and anastomosing. Inflorescences simple, 1–3 per fascicle; peduncles 1–2 cm long, glabrous or strigulose; heads obloid to shortly cylindrical, 7–15 mm long, 5–6 mm diam., golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united. Pods moniliform to sub-moniliform, to 9 cm long, (4–) 5–7 mm wide, coriaceous, longitudinally nerved, slightly pruinose, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, elliptic, with subtruncate base, 5–6 mm long, dull, black; aril ±conical.

Habitat

Grows in rocky clay loam.

Specimens

W.A.: Mt Singleton, C.A.Gardner 12048 (CANB, MEL, NSW, PERTH); Wanarra, Aug. 1960, C.A.Gardner s.n. (PERTH); c. 10 km S of Mt Gibson HS, A.A.Mitchell 1162 (PERTH); 28 km SSE of Warriedar HS, P.G.Wilson 8612 (PERTH, Z).

Notes

Related to A. dilloniorum. Formerly confused with A. imitans, which is readily distinguished by its smaller, non-fasciculate phyllodes, much shorter peduncles, often shorter spikes and tightly coiled pods enclosing shorter seeds with a subterminal aril. Also superficially similar to A. erinacea which is partially sympatric but has globular flower-heads and short, straight, flat, narrowly to broadly oblong pods.

The protologue of A. kochii W.Fitzg. gives the plant height as 10–15 feet which is considerably taller than recorded on any specimen. Fitzgerald’s isotype at Herb. PERTH does not record plant height.

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