Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Widespread from far south-eastern N.S.W. through southern Vic. to central, eastern and southern Tas. including islands of Bass Strait.

Description

Shrub or small tree, 2–5 m high, erect. Phyllodes commonly whorled, but sometimes fascicled or very occasionally alternate, linear, narrow-lanceolate or occasionally quadrangular, commonly narrowing gradually into a sharp point. Flowers always in cylindrical spikes.

Habitat

Grows mostly in damp places.

Specimens

N.S.W.: 17.7 km W of Green Cape Lighthouse, R.Coveny 2946 (MEL, NSW); track to Womboyne L., 9 Oct. 1961, M.E.Phillips s.n. (CANB). Vic.: Mafeking, The Grampians, 25 Oct. 1963, M.E.Phillips s.n. (CANB). Tas.: Pats R., Flinders Is., J.S.Whinray 2151 (MEL); Adventure Bay, Bruny Is., 30 Aug. 1945, W.M.Curtis s.n. (HO).

Notes

A variant (MEL) recorded from Jacksons Ck near Sydenham on the north-western outskirts of Melbourne, and represented by a specimen presumably collected by P.R.H.St John, 11 Oct. 1906, warrants further investigation. It has verticillate and erect rather than spreading phyllodes up to 25 mm long and a spicate inflorescence. It appears to be very localised and is here included in this subspecies. Similar material (CANB) has been recorded from near Anakie Junction in the Brisbane Ranges between Ballan and Geelong in Vic.

FOA Reference

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia

Author

A.B.Court