Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Restricted to western Arnhem Land, Kakadu and Katherine Gorge Natl Parks, N.T., between Oenpelli and Edith Falls.

Description

Shrub or tree to 3.5 m high. Bark ±smooth, slightly rough at base. Branchlets angular, stout, densely grey-sericeous. Phyllodes very narrowly elliptic to elliptic, flat, straight to slightly incurved, 11–21 cm long, 8–28 mm wide, thinly coriaceous, sericeous when young, less so with age, with 2 prominent main nerves free to base; minor nerves 2 per mm conspicuously and loosely reticulate, with interstices narrow and elongated; glands 2; first gland prominent, round, basal and to 7 mm from pulvinus; second gland small, 1–2.5 cm from apex on dorsal margin. Spikes 2–4.5 cm long, sparsely flowered. Flowers 5-merous, sericeous; calyx 0.7–0.9 mm long, dissected to 1/3; corolla 1.5–1.9 mm long, dissected to 1/3; ovary densely sericeous. Pods linear, twisted and coiled, c. 3 mm wide. Seeds longitudinal, c. 4 mm long; areole large, open.

Phenology

Flowers June–mid-July.

Habitat

Grows in deep sand or clayey soil, within the flood zone of creek beds or on escarpments, in Eucalyptus woodland scrub with Melaleuca and Triodia, often in large stands.

Specimens

N.T.: upper reaches of Cooper Ck, Spencers Ra., K.Bishop (NSW); Twin Falls, Kakadu Natl Park, C.Dunlop 6733 & G.Wightman (AD, BRI, DNA, K, MEL, NSW, PERTH); Jim Jim Ck, C.Dunlop 6749 & G.Wightman (AD, BRI, CANB, DNA, K, NSW); tributary of Alligator R., I.Olsen 2726 (NSW).

Notes

Related to A. holosericea which has phyllodes with apical gland adjacent to the mucro, normally 3 prominent longitudinal nerves two of which are basally confluent and sometimes contiguous with the lower margin of the phyllode and yellow arils.

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 B.R.Maslin & J.Rogers

Dr M.D.Tindale and Dr P.G.Kodela with the assistance of M.Bedward, S.J.Davies, C.Herscovitch, D.A.Keith and/or D.A.Morrison