Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Discontinuous from near Perenjori and Three Springs NNW to the Murchison R. (E of Kalbarri), south-western W.A.

Description

Spreading much-branched shrub 0.5–1.8 m high. Branchlets hairy, with grey-white epidermis fissured with age. Stipules spinose, 2–4 mm long, normally straight, sometimes only hardened bases persisting. Phyllodes ±patent, ovate or widely ovate to elliptic or widely elliptic, normally 1.5–2.5 cm long, (5–) 7–15 (–20) mm wide, l:w = 1.5–2.5, slightly undulate, pungent with slender cusp, coriaceous, slightly shiny, dark green, glabrous or sometimes midrib and margins tuberculate-hairy, puncticulate, with prominent midrib, finely penninerved. Inflorescences initiated on new shoots; peduncles normally 1 per axil, with subtending phyllodes often not mature at anthesis, 8–20 (–30) mm long, hairy; bract often near or above middle; heads globular to obloid, golden, 35–60 (–70)-flowered. Flowers 5‑merous; sepals free. Pods circinnate, 4.5–5.5 mm wide, coriaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, ±oblong, 3.5 mm long, ±dull, brown to blackish, arillate.

Habitat

Grows normally in rocky red loam, commonly in A. acuminata tall shrubland.

Specimens

W.A.: between Coorow and Arrino, W.E.Blackall 2615 (PERTH); Murchison R. Gorge, A.S.George 7906 (K, PERTH); 4.8 km E of Mullewa towards Yalgoo, B.R.Maslin 3627 (NY, PERTH); 29 km N of Caron, K.Newbey 2090 (PERTH).

Notes

Formerly confounded with A. congesta, which is distinguished by its narrower, dimidiately inequilateral phyllodes which are not, or scarcely, puncticulate. The pods of A. congesta curve within the plane of the suture whereas in A. puncticulata they curve at right angles to the plane of the suture.

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 B.R.Maslin & J.Rogers