Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs from Wannamal S to Albany and E to Cape Arid, with one collection from near Port Gregory (c. 330 km N of Wannamal), W.A.

Description

Branchlets prominently ribbed, normally red but extremities often yellowish or brown and mottled green between the ribs, usually glabrous. Axillary spines few or absent, 1 (or 2) per node. Pinnae usually 5-12 mm long; pinnules conduplicate and imbricate when dry, 4-9 pairs, narrowly oblong, 2-5 mm long, usually green. Peduncles 7-15 mm long, glabrous; heads 20-30-flowered. Pods 3-4.5 mm wide.

Habitat

Grows in a variety of soils, often in low-lying areas near watercourses, usually in woodland, shrubland and forest.

Specimens

W.A.: 22.5 km NE of Fitzgerald R. mouth, K.M.Allan 349 (AD, K, PERTH); Cape Arid Natl Park, J.W.Green 5146 (CANB, PERTH): near Bluff Knoll, Stirling Ra., G.J.Keighery 3435 (PERTH); 0.8 km SW of Kalgan R. bridge on Albany-Jerramungup road, B.R.Maslin 1083 (AD, NSW, PERTH); 21.5 km from Northampton towards Port Gregory, B.R.Maslin 3118 (PERTH).

Notes

Specimens with smaller than normal leaves (pinnae 2–5 mm long) are scattered in southern areas, with those from the Fitzgerald R. Natl Park having glaucous pinnules and some from the Stirling Ra. Natl Park having very short peduncles (2–5 mm long). Pubescent individuals are rare, sometimes occurring sympatrically with the normal form. Likewise, specimens with two spines per node are rare.

Sometimes difficult to distinguish from var. glaberrima with which it is occasionally sympatric (e.g. near Wannamal).

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