Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Extremely localised on the Eyre Peninsula, S.A.

Description

Glabrous shrub 1–3 m high, often suckering. Branchlets angled at extremities. Phyllodes linear, ±incurved, 2–9 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, obliquely truncate at apex, flat but thick, smooth but finely longitudinally rugulose when dry; midrib absent or scarcely evident superficially; glands 2, with apical gland brown and adjacent to blunt mucro, and basal gland inconspicuous and 6–18 mm above indistinct pulvinus. Inflorescences mostly 1-headed racemes; raceme axes 1.5–3.5 mm long, often growing out; peduncles 6–12 mm long; heads globular, 34–58-flowered, bright golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods linear, to 13.5 cm long, 5–8.5 mm wide, crustaceous to ±cartilaginous. Seeds longitudinal, elliptic-lenticular, 4.5–6.5 mm long, punctulate, subnitid, dark brown; aril 2/5–3/5 length of seed.

Habitat

Grows in loam on lower slopes and at base of steep gullies, in the zone of contact between dense open heath and open tall shrubland or open scrub.

Specimens

S.A.: Hundred of Mann, T.Croft 24b (AD, CANB) and P.J.Lang D8722 (AD, PERTH).

Notes

Most closely related to A. microcarpa and its allies but distinguished by its linear, superficially nerveless phyllodes (which are 2–9 cm long and 1–2.5 mm wide), 34–58-flowered heads and punctulate seeds. In habit and foliage, A. praemorsa bears a striking resemblance to Senna artemisioides subsp. petiolaris.

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