Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from the Nyabing–Pingrup area S to Borden (N and E of Ongerup), south-western W.A.

Description

Shrub 0.5–1 m high. New shoots appressed-puberulous; hairs pale yellow and white. Stipules subpersistent, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Phyllodes oblanceolate, straight to shallowly recurved, (1.6–) 2–3 cm long, 4–8 mm wide, l:w = 3–7, rounded-obtuse, excentrically rostriform; gland 4–6 mm above pulvinus. Peduncles 3–7 mm long.

Habitat

Grows in gravelly sand, sandy loam or loam, in open shrub mallee with Eucalyptus redunca and E. transcontinentalis.

Specimens

W.A.: c. 170 km from Albany on Borden–Pingrup road, A.M.Ashby 4680 (AD, CANB, G, K, MEL, NY, PERTH); Pingrup, W.E.Blackall 3111 (PERTH); 16 km SW of Borden, K.Newbey 1442 (PERTH).

Notes

The specimen A.M.Ashby 4680 is slightly atypical in that its mucro is less lateral than normal. Acacia mutabilis subsp. rhynchophylla is most readily distinguished from other subspecies by its obtuse phyllodes with lateral to sublateral mucro, resembling a bird’s head.

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.Reid & J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin