Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Known only from c. 50 km N of the Murchison R. (c. 60 km due NE of Kalbarri), south-western W.A.

Description

Spreading shrub 0.7–1 m high. Branchlets glabrous; epidermis white, puncticulate and exfoliating with age. Stipules caducous. Phyllodes sessile, patent, linear-triangular, (5–) 8–15 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, pungent, rigid, green, glabrous, 1-nerved, commonly with an obscure second nerve parallel to midrib; gland 1–3 mm above the base. Inflorescences rudimentary normally 1-headed racemes with axes 0.5–1 mm long, commonly growing out; peduncles 5–10 (–14) mm long, glabrous; heads globular, 15–20-flowered, golden; bracteoles absent. Flowers 5‑merous; sepals c. 1/2–4/5-united; petals ±nerveless. Pods ±moniliform, normally shallowly arcuate, to 7.5 cm long, 3.5–4 mm wide, ±thinly coriaceous, reddish brown, finely longitudinally reticulate, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong or elliptic to obovate, 3–4 mm long, black with cream mottlings; aril conical, terminal.

Habitat

Grows in yellow sand in dense mallee scrub.

Specimens

W.A.: near 413 mile peg, North West Coastal Hwy, A.S.George 11225 (PERTH); 66 km S of Billabong Roadhouse on North West Coastal Hwy, C.H.Gittins 1554 (NSW, PERTH).

Notes

C.H.Gittins 1556 (PERTH), collected with C.H.Gittins 1554, is possibly A. plautella but pods are required to check its identity. It differs in its atypically long (4–6 cm), linear, inclined to ascending phyllodes and a poorly developed, non-puncticulate epidermis.

Similar to A. ingrata which has cream to white, 5–7-flowered heads and non-mottled seeds. Superficially resembling some members of the ‘A. horridula group’ but distinguished by 5-merous flowers and ±moniliform pods.

FOA Reference

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia

Author

B.R.Maslin

Minor edits by J.Rogers