Acacia tarculensis J.M.Black
WATTLE
Acacias of Australia
Common Name
Steel Bush, Granite Bush, Granite Wattle
Family
Fabaceae
Distribution
Occurs in south-central S.A. in the N part of Eyre Penin. from just W of Gawler Ra. and L. Gillies northwards to N of Tarcoola (L. Gairdner area); also a disjunct occurrence in central Qld where it occurs in the Grey Ra., SW of Blackall.
Description
Shrub 1–3 m high, dense, spreading, rounded or flat-topped. Branchlets appressed-puberulous at extremities. Phyllodes elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 2.5–5.5 cm long, 7–14 mm wide, rounded-obtuse, coriaceous, glaucous, golden or silvery appressed-puberulous when young, with numerous fine closely parallel nerves of uniform prominence or 1–3 sometimes slightly more prominent; margins (mature phyllodes) red-brown, resinous. Inflorescences simple, 1 or 2 per axil; peduncles 3–8 mm long, puberulous; spikes 15–25 mm long, ±interrupted at maturity, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods narrowly oblong, scarcely raised over seeds, curved, to 9 cm long, 10–12 mm wide, subwoody, velvety, sometimes glabrescent; margins thickened. Seeds slightly oblique, broadly elliptic, 7.5 mm long, dull, brown; aril terminal.
Habitat
Grows on rocky hillsides and ridges, associated with granite, in tall open shrubland or low open woodland, especially with species of the ‘A. aneura group’.
Specimens
S.A.: L. Gairdner area, c. 3 km N Mulga Well outstation and 20 km NE of Kingoonya, B.Lay 283 (AD, PERTH); 8 km W of Nonning, 27 Aug. 1955, A.R.Main (PERTH); 21 km SE of Mulgathing Stn on road to Malbooma Railway siding, D.E.Symon 1118 (AD, PERTH); Qld: none cited yet.
Notes
Similar to A. quadrimarginea in venation and red margins of the phyllodes, as well as in having free or nearly free sepals, but the phyllodes of A. quadrimarginea are not glaucous and its pods are different. Bears some superficial resemblance to A. incanicarpa (W.A.).
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, R.S.Cowan
Minor edits by B.R.Maslin
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