Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs in Qld from Maryborough S to Stanmore, and in N.S.W. from Grafton S to Bellingen and from Nowra to Shoalhaven.

Description

Diffuse tree or shrub to 15 m high. Bark smooth or fissured, green, grey or dark brown. Branchlets slightly angled or flattened towards apices, almost black, with yellowish pilose hairs especially on ridges. Young foliage-tips yellowish or golden-brown, densely pilose. Leaves: petiole obscure or to 0.3 (–0.5) cm long above the pulvinus, mostly with an oval or globular dark gland at base of or near lowest pair of pinnae; rachis (2.5–) 5–12 cm long, with a similar gland just below to half-way between the uppermost 1–10 pairs of pinnae; pinnae 7–20 (–27) pairs, 1–4.7 cm long, with lowermost pair slightly shorter than others, downcurved; pinnules dark green above, paler beneath, 14–40 (–51) pairs, cultrate, (1–) 1.5–4 (–5) mm long, 0.5–0.8 (–1) mm wide, glabrous or ciliate, obtuse or acute. Inflorescences in axillary racemes, or terminal or axillary false-panicles; peduncles 2–5 (–7) mm long. Heads globular, 12–25-flowered, pale yellow or cream-coloured. Pods often curved, 3–14 cm long, (4–) 7–11.5 mm wide, coriaceous, brownish black or blue-black, nerved, pilose along the margin when young.

Phenology

Flowers throughout the year; fruits Aug.–Nov., occasionally June.

Habitat

Grows at low altitudes in high rainfall coastal areas in tall open forest and rainforest.

Specimens

Qld: near Palmwoods, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW52684); Eudlo, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW52683). N.S.W.: 7.6 km SE of Maclean, M.D.Tindale 2039 (NSW, Z); 19.2 km along road to Wooli from Pacific Hwy, L.Murray 19 (B, BRI, CHR, E, G, MEL, NSW, PERTH, TL, US); 40 km N of Coffs Harbour, B.Hadlow 423 (CANB, NSW).

Notes

Similar to A. trachyphloia which has spreading golden hairs.

There is a variant with pilose hairs along the pinnule margins, and glaucous, bluish, sub-moniliform pods 5–8.5 cm long and 4–6.5 mm wide. The valves are conspicuously raised over the seeds. (See Fig. 7M–N). It occurs on the South Coast of N.S.W. from Nowra E to Yalwah and S to Mogo. Flowers July–Aug. Fruits Sept.–Jan. Further investigation of its status is needed.

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

M.D.Tindale, P.G.Kodela