Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Endemic in the Ravensthorpe Ra., south-western W.A.

Description

Decumbent to erect dome-shaped subshrub 0.2–0.3 m high. Branchlets puberulous. Stipules persistent, setaceous, 1.5–3 mm long, recurved. Phyllodes crowded, on raised stem-projections, patent to erect, incurved from near base, subterete but often ±flat and linear when dry, 5–10 (–13) mm long, c. 1 mm wide, narrowed at base, excentrically mucronulate, sometimes ±glaucous, glabrous, ±nerveless; gland inconspicuous, 0.5–2 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences simple, 1 per axil; peduncles 6–8 mm long, glabrous, recurved from base in fruit; basal bract semi-persistent, cucullate; heads globular, 2–2.5 mm diam., 8–12-flowered, bright light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods linear, tightly irregularly coiled, turgid, 2–2.5 mm wide, thin-crustaceous, black, glabrous, ±resinous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong to elliptic, c. 2.5 mm long, shiny, black; aril terminal, pileiform, white.

Habitat

Grows in rocky clay on lower slopes, favours watercourses in dense shrub mallee woodland.

Specimens

W.A.: near Mt Desmond, c. 13 km due SE of Ravensthorpe, B.R.Maslin 3905 (AD, BRI, MO, NSW, PERTH); 5 km E of Ravensthorpe, P.G.Wilson 5536 (AD, MEL, NSW, PERTH).

Notes

Superficially similar to A. lachnophylla which has caducous stipules, longer phyllodes with at least the midrib on each face normally evident and the gland commonly 4–12 mm above the base, larger heads with more flowers and mottled seeds. Also allied to A. rhamphophylla.

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 J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin