Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from Carnamah S to Stirling Ra. and Fitzgerald R. Natl Park, W.A..

Description

Shrub 0.2–0.5 (–1) m high, dense, spreading. Spines usually few or absent. Branchlets puberulous; hairs patent to antrorsely or retrorsely appressed. Pinnae usually 1–2 mm long; apices acute, not dark brown or prominent; pinnules 2–3 pairs, usually 1–2 mm long, puberulous to subglabrous. Peduncles usually 2–4 mm long, slender; heads usually globular, 3–5 mm diam. (dry), 16–23-flowered; bracteoles short- or long-acuminate, not dark brown. Pods undulate, puberulous to pubescent. Seeds brown, occasionally obscurely mottled.

Habitat

Grows on loamy flats around Moora, in rocky clay around Bindoon, in sand around Tammin and in loam to the S, often in Wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodland.

Specimens

W.A.: 25.7 km N of crossroads on sandplain N of Mt Bland, M.I.H.Brooker 2718 (AD, PERTH); 5.6 km E of Green Hills towards Quairading, B.R.Maslin 487 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); Nalyering Wells, 20 km N of Kellerberrin, B.R.Maslin 593 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); Guildford, L.Preiss 897 (C, GOET, G-DC, K, LD, STR).

Notes

B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 1: 409 (1975), treated A. cycnorum as synonymous with the typical variety. However, a reexamination of the holotype shows it having 18–20-flowered heads and slender peduncles 5–6 mm long, suggesting that it is better placed under var. sedifolia. The specimen, however, differs slightly from typical var. sedifolia in having 3 or 4 pairs of pinnules, each 2–2.5 mm long.

The above description applies to typical var. sedifolia which extends from Northam–Toodyay southwards. Many specimens, especially from the Kellerberrin–Watheroo area, possess characters at variance with those given above, e.g. axillary spines numerous and/or pinnae and pinnules to 4 mm long and/or peduncles to 8 mm long. Specimens from the Stirling Ra. are unusual in having obloid flower-heads (e.g. G.J.Keighery 3498, PERTH).

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.Reid

B.R.Maslin