Table Of Content.
Nuytsia8(2):285-309(1992) 285
Acacia Miscellany 6. Review of Acacia victoriae and related
species (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae: Section Phyllodineae)
B.R.Maslin
WesternAustralianHerbarium,DepartmentofConservationandLandManagement,
PO104,Como,WesternAustralia6152
Abstract
Maslin,B.R.AcaciaMiscellany6. ReviewofAcaciavictoriae andrelatedspecies(Leguminosae:
Mimosoideae:SectionPhyllodineae).Nuytsia 8(2):285-309(1992).Akeyispresentedtothe10species
comprisingtheinformal"Acaciavictoriaegroup" Fiveofthesespecies,allfromWesternAustralia,are
describedasnew,namely,A. alexandri,A. aphanoclada^A- chartacea,A-ryanianaandA.synchronicia.
AcaciaglaucocaesiaDomin (syn.A.glabripesMaiden&Blakely,nonDomin) isreinstatedbutmay
ultimately prove better placed as an infraspecific taxon under A. victoriae Benth. Legumes are
describedforA,pickardiiTind. and afulldescriptionis givenforA. dempsteriF. Muell. All species
ofthe group are illustrated.
Introduction
ThefollowingaccountofAcaciavictoriaeBenth.anditsalliesistheresultofstudiesconnectedwith
thepreparationofAcaciasubgenusPhyllodineaesectionPhyllodineaeDC.fortheFloraofAustralia.
Five new Western Australian species are described and these, together with five close relatives, are
herereferredtoinformallyasthe "Acaciavictoriaegroup". The 10speciesassignedtothisgroupare:
A. alexandriMaslinsp.nov.,A.aphanocladaMaslinsp.nov.,A.chartaceaMaslinsp.nov.,A.cuspidifolia
Maslin.A. dempsteriF.Muell A.glaucocaesiaDomin,A.pickardiiTind.,A.ryanianaMaslinsp.nov.,
A.synchroniciaMaslinsp.nov.andA.vicloriaeBcnth.ThisgroupismostcloselyrelatedtoA.murrayana
F.Muell.exBenth.anditsallies(i.e.A.pachyacraMaiden&BlakelyandA.praelongataF.Muell.)and
A.pyrifoliaDC.anditsallies(i.e.A.inaequilateraDomin,A. marramambaMaslinandA.strongylophylla
F.Muell.).
The species of the A. victoriae group occur mainly in the Australian Arid Zone. Except for
A.victoriae(whichoccursinallmainlandStates)andA.pickardii(whichisgeographicallyrestrictedin
South Australia andNorthern Territory) the species ofthe group are confined to Western Australia
where most have relatively restricted geographic ranges. Distributions are discussed under each
species; for previously described taxa these datareplace those which are given in Maslin & Pedley
(1982).
In the absence ofacomprehensivereview oftheclassification ofAcacia ithas notbeen possible
here to identify a single morphological character which uniquely defines the "A. victoriae group".
There are, however, a number ofcharacters which, when taken in combination, serve to define the
286 NuytsiaVol.8,No.2(1992)
group, however, notall species possess all the characters. Althoughnone ofthe charactersisunique
tothegroup,two ofthemoreimportantones,namely, spinosestipules andmedialpeduncularbracts,
are infrequent elsewhere in subgenus Phyllodineae.
1. Stipules.
Spinose stipules are seemingly present in all members of the group, although in A. alexandri,
A.aphanocladaandA.glaucocaesiatheyareratherpoorlydeveloped. Thestipulesareoftenprominent
onyoungplantsbutarecommonlyabsentwithage. Onbiologicallymatureplantsoftenonlythestipule
bases remain and are represented by a pair of blunt protruberances at the base of the phyllodes;
sometimes even the protruberances are lacking.
Spinose stipules occur elsewhere in section Phyllodineae, but at a rather low frequency, e.g.
A.congesta Benth., A. paradoxa DC., A. xerophila W.Fitzg. They also occur in other sections of
subgenus Phyllodineae, namely, theAlatae (A. alata R.Br.), Plurinerves (inA. unguicula Cowan &
Maslin and at leastthree undescribed species from W.A.) and Pulchellae (A. anarthros Maslin and
A.nioiriisubsp.recurvistipulaMaslin). SpinosestipulesoccurinallspeciesofsubgenusAcacia(where
theyareoftenverywell developed)butinsubgenusAculeiferumtheyareseeminglyabsent(although
the stipules atmaturenodes onA. coulteri Benth. ex A.Gray from Mexico are somewhatspinose).
2. Peduncularbracts.
Aminutebractoccursnearorabovethemiddleofthepeduncleinallspeciesofthegroup;thebase
ofthepedunclesisebracteate. Althoughthissupra-basalbractiscaducous(itisbestobservedonvery
young inflorescences) its scar canusuallybe observed on at leastsome matureflowering peduncles
ofall speciesexceptA. aphanoclada.
Peduncular bracts arecommon elsewhere in subgenus Phyllodineaebutthey are usually located
at the base ofthe peduncle. Solitary bracts situated near or above the middle ofthe peduncle are
uncommonbutdooccurinafewspeciesofsectionPhyllodineaebesidesthe "A.victoriaegroup",e.g.
somemembersoftheA.deltoideagroup(fideCowan&Maslin 1990),A.dentiferaBenth.,A.nodiflora
Benth. SimilarbractsoccuralsoinsubgenusAcM/e//(?rMw(e.g.A.tamarindifoliaWMd.andA.paniculata
Willd.fromSouthAmerica)andinafewspeciesofsubgenusAcacia(e.g.A.biacicularisS.Watsonand
A.glanduliferaS.WatsonfromMexico).
3. Othercharacters ofthe "A. victoriae" group.
Speciesofthe"A.victoriaegroup"areassignedtosectionPhyllodineaeonaccountoftheirglobular
flower-heads and4-nervedphyllodes. Whenthephyllodesareflat,whichistheusualcondition,there
is anerve along eachmargin andone on eachface; whenterete (A.pickardii) the nerves are equally
spaced around the lamina. The nerves are sometimes submerged and thus seemingly absent.
Other characters commonly encountered in species ofthe group are thefollowing: tall shrubs or
smalltrees(exceptforA.ryanianawhichis±prostrate) branchletsoftenpruinose,glabrous(sometimes
;
hairyinA.p/ctorcliiandA.vicfonae);phyllodeapicescommonlyinnocuous(pungentinA.a/)/!anocia(ia,
A. cuspidifolia,A.pickardiiandsometimesA.dempsteri)\pedunclescommonlytwinned,eitherwithin
axils ofphyllodes oralong aracemeaxis,theirbaseebracteate;inflorescencescommonlyinitiatedon
B.R.Maslin,/Icac/aMiscellany6 287
new shoots within the axils ofyoung phyllodes which usually maturepriorto anthesis, determinate
racemesarecommoninA.aphanoclada,A.chartacea,A.gJaucocaesiaandA.victoriaebutasecondary
phyllodemaydevelop atthebaseofsomepedunclessothataproportion oftheinflorescences appear
simpleandaxillary;sepalsusuallyfree(variablyunitedin/f.cuspidifolia);legumeschartaceous,usually
flat;seedstransversetooblique(longitudinalinA.aphanocladaandsometimesinA.alexandri),brown
orblackbutcommonlyyellow atthecentreintheregion ofthe areole ormottled; arilusually absent
or poorly developed.
Methods
1.
All measurements are from dried herbarium material unless stated otherwise. Abbreviations for
he2r.baria are as given in Index Herbariorum ed. 7 (1981) except for the following: KARR (Pilbara
Reg3i.onal Herbarium, Karratha, W.A.) and KP (Kings Park andBotanic Garden, Perth, W.A.).
3.
4.
4.
Key to species of the "A. victoriae group"
5P.hyllodes>15cmlong 2.A. aphanoclada
6.
1. Phyllodes<15cmlong
Phyllodes pungent
5. Phyllodes terete 1 A.pickardii
7. .
Phyllodesflat
8. mm
Phyllodes lineartonarrowlyoblong-oblanceolate, cusp 1-2
long; heads pale yellow 4.A. cuspidifolia
mm
Phyllodes lanceolatetonarrowlylanceolate, cusp <1 long;
9.
heads golden 5.A. dempsteri
2. Phyllodes innocuous, commonly mucronulate
Phyllodes±linearAND someorall>4cmlong; heads cream
Flowers 15-30perhead; inflorescences all or predominantly
mm
racemose; legumes9-16 wide(widespread) 10.A. victoriae
6. Flowers 60-80perhead; inflorescences not racemose; legumes
mm
7-8 wide(restricted. WesternAustralia) 1.A. alexandri
Phyllodesnotas above (iflinearthen <4cm long)
Heads creamy white topale yellow; inflorescences usually all or
mm
predominantlyracemose;peduncles 6-18 long
mm
Phyllodes 10-25(33) wide,retuse to sub-retuse, green; heads
60-90-flowered; peduncles robust 3.A. chartacea
8. Phyllode characters not combined as above; heads <60-flowered;
peduncles slender
mm
Heads20-30-flowered;phyllodes2-10cmlong,2-11 wide.
l:w=2-20,midribratherprominent(widespread) 10. A. victoriae
9. Heads35-50-flowered;phyllodes1.5-2.5cmlong,(5)7-13mm
wide,l:w= 1.5-3,midribnotprominent(restricted. Western
Australia) 6.A.glaucocaesia
288 NuytsiaVol.8,No.2(1992)
7. Heads golden; inflorescences all or mostly notracemose;
mm
peduncles 10-30 long
10.Phyllodes3-6cmlongwithl:w=4-12,lanceolatetonarrowly
mm
lanceolate;headsc. 10 diam. whendry;spinosestipules
persistent 5. A. dempsteri
10. Phyllode 1-3cmlong,shapeotherwise;heads5-7mmdiam.
when dry
m
11. Shrubs0.3 tall,±prostrate; legumescurved;phyllodes
mm
7-15 wide, l:w=1.2-3,midribratherprominent;spinose
stipules usuallypersistent 8.A. ryaniana
m
11. Shrubsortrees 1-3(6) tall;legumes straight;phyllodes
1-8(13)mmwide, 1;w=(2)3-7(14),midribobscureorabsent;
stipules often absent 9.A. synchronicia
Taxonomy
1. Acacia alexandri Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Frutices glabri 1.5-3 m alti. Stipulac spinosae, 3-4 mm longae, graciles, plerumque nullae vel
infrcquentiaaetateprovecta. Phyllodialinearia,augustataadbasim,(4)6-13cmlonga,2.5-6(9-l1)mm
lata, ratione horum (8)15-50, non rigida, viridia, uninervata, penninervia. Inflorescentiae vulgo
mm
simplices et in surculis juvenibus orientes, pedunculis vulgo 2 in quoque axilla, 8-15 longis,
gracilibus,bracteacaducapropevelsupermediumorienti,florumcapitulisglobularibus,cremeis.dense
60-80-floribus. Flores5-meri. Sepaladiscreta,angustespathulata. Leguminaangusteoblonga,ad7cm
longa,7-8mmlata,chartacea,plana,superscminarotundata. Seminaplerumquetransversalia,globosa,
mm
circa4 longa, nigricantia,circumpleurogrammaluteola,funiculobrevi, arillodepresso-clavato.
Typus:CapeRange,WesternAustralia,29August 1988,B.R.Maslin6284(holo:PERTH;iso:CANB,
K,MEL,NY,NSW).
Openormoderatelydenseshrubs 1.5-3mtall,sometimeswhispy,mainstemsratherslender. Bark
darkgreyand sometimesirregularlyfissured atbase ofstems, smoothandgreenishbrownhigherup,
red-browntoreddish oryellow-green onbranchlets. Branchlets slender,teretebutslightlyangledat
extremities, finely ribbed, slightly flexuose, glabrous. Stipules spinescent. commonly absent or
infrequentonmatureplants,notprominent,slender,3-4mmlong,straight. Phyllodeslinear,narrowed
atbase,6-13cmlong,sometimesafewshorter(c.4cmlong),2.5-6mmwide,abnormallybroad(9-11mm
wide)onA.S.George 1334,l:w=(8)15-50,slightlythickandthereforeusuallyslightlywrinkledwhen
dry,notrigid,±erect, straightorvariouslycurved,glabrous,olive-greentoyellow-green,dull;midrib
evidentbutnotoverlyprominent,oftendryingyellowish,finelypenninerved,marginalnervesnarrow
andyellowish;apicesacuteorobtuse-mucronate;pulvinusc. 1mmlong,transverselywrinkled. Gland
mm
situatedonuppermarginofphyllode0-2 abovepulvinus,notprominent,circulartooblong-elliptic,
0.3-0.8 mm long, central pore shallow. Inflorescences initiated synchronously with phyllodes on
terminalorsometimesaxillarynewshoots,phyllodesusuallymaturingpriortoanthesissothatpeduncles
appear axillary, shoots rarely racemose due to phyllode suppression. Peduncles 1-4 per axil but
commonly2,8-15mmlong,slender,glabrous,baseebracteate;bractnearorabovemiddleofpeduncle
mm
caducous(bractscarvisibleonmaturepeduncles),narrowlyoblong,c. 1.5 long,scarious,brown.
Flower-heads globular, 8 mm diam. (fresh), c. 5 mm diam. (dry), cream, densely 60-80-flowered.
B.R.Maslin,/icacwMiscellany6 289
Figure1.Acaciaalexandri.A-Howeiingbranchlet,B-NewshootshowinginflorescencesarisingsynchronouslywithphyUodes
(insertsshowingsupra-basalpeduncularbractand,onolderpeduncle,scarwherebracthasfallen).C-Legume.D-Seedshowing
funicleexpandedintoanarrow,depressed-clavateaiil.
AfromA.S.George2479.BfromWB.Edgecombes.n.C&DfromWB.Edgecombe13.
290 NuytsiaVol.8,No.2(1992)
Bracteolessimilartosepalsexceptlaminaetwiceaslarge. Flowers5-merous. Sepals 111to3/4length
of petals, free, narrowly spathulate, brown except base often colourless; claws narrowly linear,
mm mm
glabrous;laminaewidelyovate,0.15 wide,concave,apiculate,sparselyciliolate. Petals1.8-2
long,joinedforc.3/4theirlength,glabrous,midribnotvisible. Legumesnarrowlyoblong,to7cmlong,
7-8 mm wide, chartaceous, ± straight,flatprominentlyroundedover seeds with theconvexities not
extendingtothemargins,±straight-edgedwithoccasionaldeepconstrictionsbetweenseeds,glabrous,
dark brown, obscurely transversely reticulate. Seeds longitudinal, oblique or most commonly
mm
transverseinlegumes,globose,c.4 long,dull,blackish,yellowaroundthe"U"-shapedpleurogram;
mm mm
areoleoftenexcentric,opentowardsthehilum,0.7 long;funicle 1-1.5 long,slender,expanded
mm
into anarrow,depressed-clavate aril c.2 long.
Otherspecimensexamined. WESTERNAUSTRALIA: CapeRange, Y. Chadwick1353 &s.n. (both
PERTH),W.B.Edgecombe12(PERTH),13(PERTH)&s.n.(PERTH00153354,00669482),A.S.George
2479(PERTH), 1334(PERTH) &10270(PERTH,K),S.D.Hopper5085,5086&5088(allPERTH),
K.FKenneally7337 (BRI,CANB,MEL,PERTH) &7344(PERTH),B.R.Maslin 6289(PERTH).
Distribution.North-westWestemAustraliaintheCamarvonBotanicalDistrict(l;250,000mapsF49-12,
F50-9). KnownonlyfromafewlocalitiesintheCapeRange.
Habitat. Pinkish brown loam onrocky limestone slopes in Open Shmb Mallee overLow Scrub and
Spinifex(Triodiaspp.).
Conservationstatus. 2RC- accordingtothecriteriaofBriggs&Leigh(1988). Ofthefewcollections
known, abouthalfoccur withinthe CapeRangeNationalPark.
Floweringperiod. Mostly August-September; onecollectioninJune.
Fruitingperiod. Legumes with mature seeds have been collected in late October.
Affinities. Closelyalliedtothewidespreadspecies,A.victoriae,butdistinguishedbyflowers60-80per
head, inflorescences initiated onnew shoots with 1-4peduncles arisingwithin theaxils oftheyoung
mm
phyllodes,legumes7-8 wide,seedsnotmottled,funicleslender,andphyllodesusuallylonger. In
Western Australia the phyllodes of A. victoriae are generally 2.5-4 cm long and not often linear.
However,intheKimberleyregion(andalsoinQueensland)somespecimensofA.victoriaehavelinear
phyllodestoabout10cmlongbutthesecanbedistinguishedfromA.alexandribytheothercharacters
given above. Another widespread member ofthe "A. victoriae group", A. synchronicia, grows near
A.alexandri intheCapeRangebutisreadilyrecognisedbyitsmuchshorterphyllodes (c. 2cmlong)
and golden flower-heads.
Etymology. NamedafterAlexanderS.Georgewhodiscoveredthespeciesin 1960. Priortobecoming
Editor oftheFlora ofAustralia in 1981, Alex was employedfor 21 years atthe Western Australian
Herbarium. He has made significant contributions to the botany of Western Australia through his
numerouscollections(e.g.almost800Acaciagatherings) andpublications.
2. Acacia aphanoclada Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 2)
m
Fmticesglabrivirgatiad5 alti,phyllodiisetramisultimispendulis,ramulispruinosis. Stipulaeplus
minusvespinosae,2.5-4mmlongae,aliquandonullae.Phyllodiaangustelinearia,20-45cmlonga,1.5-2(3)
Figure2./Icaaaa/j/ia/iocteia.A-Branchletshowingaxillaryraceme(withlegume)andtwinned,axillarypeduncles(headsatanthesis).
B-Nodeshowingaxillaryracemewithsomepedunclessubtendedbyareducedphyllode(insertshowingbaseofphyllodeandgland).
C-Legume.D-Seed. Afrom//.DemarzD4751.BfromN.Berry194.C&DfromD.fBiVfearas.n.
292 NuytsiaVol.8,No.2(1992)
mm
lata,nonrigida,praeteradbasimplusminusvecylindrieaplana,costanonprominent!.Racemi5-9(18)
cmlongi.Pedunculi1-2cmlongi,graciles,saepebinati,florumcapitulisglobularibus,aureis,70-90-floribus.
Flores5-meri. Sepaladiscreta,angustespathulata. Leguminaangusteoblonga,6-7cmlonga,6-8mm
lata, inter semina modice constricta vel non constricta, super semina rotundata, plus minusve firme
chartacea,pruinosaminimumjuveniliter. Seminalongitudinaliaadleviterobliqua,oblongalato-ovata
velferecircularia,4-5mm,arilloplusminusveclavato.
Typus:NearNullagine, WesternAustralia,26Oct. 1973,H. DemarzD4751 (holo: PERTH;iso: K).
Slender, wispy, glabrous, single-stemmedshrubsto 5 mtall, stem 2 cm d.b.h., canopy open and
sparinglybranched,phyllodes andultimatebranchletspendulous. Barksmooth,reddishgreytopale
grey-brownormid-brown. Branchletsterete,obscurelynerved,pruinose. Stipulestriangulartolinear-
mm
triangular, 2.5-4 long, usually spinose or almost so, not prominent, erect to sub-erect, straight,
thickenedtowardsbase,distal portion oftenbrittle andbreaking-off, occasionally absentatallnodes.
Phyllodesnarrowlylinear,20-45cmlong,1.5-2mmwide,veryrarely3mm,to10mmonregrowthshoots,
pendulous,notrigid,shallowlycurvedatleastnearbase,flatbutbecoming±teretenearthepulvinus,
somewhat obscurely longitudinally wrinkled when dry, midrib not prominent, lateral nerves not
evident;apicesattenuate,theslender,indurate,brittlepointusuallybreakingoffwithage;pulvinusnot
mm
prominent. Glandsituatedonuppermarginofphyllode2-6 abovethebase,circulartooblong,0.7-1.2
mmlong,0.4-0.7mmwide,notorscarcelyraisedabovemargin.Racemesusually5-9cmlong,sometimes
18 cm, occasionally a secondary phyllode arising below the axil ofthe usually twinned peduncles
renderingthesesimpleandaxillary;racemeaxisslender,±straight,terete,baseebracteate. Peduncles
1-2 cm long, slender, usually twinned (rarely solitary or in groups ofthree) with 1.5-2 cm between
adjacentpairs,basalpeduncularbracts 1 or2 andearlycaducous, anadditional small,earlycaducous
bractlocatednearapexofveryyoungpeduncles, itsheathesthedevelopingheads anddoes notleave
avisiblescaronthepeduncleupondropping. Flower-headsglobular,golden,densely70-90-fIowered.
Bracteolessimilartosepals. Flowers5-merous. Sepalsc.2/3lengthofpetals,free,narrowlyspathulate,
brown(atleastatapices)whendry. Petals1.8-2.5mmlong. Legumesnarrowlyoblong,straightedged
to moderately constricted between seeds, rounded over seeds with convexities extending to the
margins,6-7cmlong,6-8mmwide,to11seeded,firmlychartaceoustoverythinlycoriaceous,straight
toshallowlyarcuate, obscurelytransverselyreticulate,brown,pruinoseatleastwhenyoung,marginal
mm
nerves narrow, stipe slenderand 3-5 long. Seedslongitudinal to slightlyobliqueinthe legume,
mm mm
oblong,widelyovateoralmostcircular,turgidtoslightlycompressed,4-5 long,3.5-4.5 wide,
±dull, dark brown but often yellowish near the pleurogram; pleurogram obscure, very shallowly
mm
"U"-shaped;areole0.3-0.4 long,opentowardsthehilum,excentric,situatedbetweencentreofseed
andhilum;funicle shortand once-folded, expanded into acreamy white, narrow, ±clavate, terminal
aril.
Otherspecimensexamined. WESTERNAUSTRALIA:Nullaginearea,J.S. Beard2824(KP,PERTH),
M.K.Deighton311(PERTH),A.S.George15716(MEL,PERTH),E.Lullfitzl.2699andA.R.Fairall(KP),
B.R.Maslin4957(NSW,PERTH),K.Newbey10202(PERTH),D. O’Mearas.n.(PERTH00856320),
N. Perry 194 (PERTH).
Flowering andfruitingperiod. August-October.
Fruitingperiod. LegumeswithmatureseedsoccurinOctober-Novemberandmaybepresentwiththe
flowers.
.
B.R.Maslin,Acac/aMiscellany6 293
Distribution North-westWesternAustraliaintheFortescueBotanicalDistrict(1:250,000mapF51-5).
KnownonlyfromnearNullagine. Furtherworkinthisrelativelyunder-collectedareamayextendthe
species range, especially in areas east and west ofNullagine.
Habitat.Rocky"spinifex"(Triodiaspp.)hillswithscatteredeucalyptsandacacias.Geologicallythenew
species occurs on Mosquito Creek sediments and on conglomerates (D. O’Meara, pers. comm.)
Conservationstatus. 2[k] accordingtothecriteriaofBriggs&Leigh (1988).
Affinities. The speciesisreadily distinguishedfrom othermembers ofthe "A. victoriaegroup" by its
very long phyllodes (which are perhaps the longest in the genus).
Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek aphanes, meaning unseen, invisible,
obscure, andklados,meaningabranch. Itreferstothecharacteristicwispygrowthhabitconsistingof
very slender stems and open crowns ofverynarrow, pendulous phyllodes. Theplants are therefore
ratherdifficulttodetectinthefieldeventhoughtheymayreach 5 m inheight.
3. Acacia chartacea Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 3)
m
Fruticesvelarboresglabrae1.5-4(6) altae,ramulisetramissuperispruinosis. Stipulaespinosae,
mm
3-6 longae, saepenullae aetateprovecta. Phyllodiaplusminusveasymmetrica,plerumque ovata
ad ellipticavel anguste elliptica, rotundato-obtusa et retusa ad subrelusa, (2)2.5-5.5(6.5) cm longa,
(0.7)1-2.5(3.3)cmlata,rationehorum(1.5)2-4(5),coriacea,viridia,costaprominent!,obscurepenninervia.
Racemi(1)3-8(14)cmlongi,pedunculisaliquandoaphyllodiumsecundariumsubtendentibus,infrequenter
inflorescentiae simplicesutin A. synchronicia. Pedunculi plemmquebinati, 8-15mm longi, florum
capitulisglobularibus, dilutecitreis adcremeis, dense 60-90-floribus. Flores 5-meri. Sepaladiscreta
angustespathulata.Leguminaangusteoblonga,ad5cmlonga,8-12mmlata,chartacea,pallide(luteola)
mm mm
brunnea. Seminaplusminusvetransversalia,elliptica,3 longa,2-2.3 lata,funiculolinearietplus
minusve recto, arillo plemmque subconico.
Typus:49.5kmSofBillabongRoadhouse,NorthWestCoastalHighway, WesternAustralia,22Sept.
1976,B./?.Maslin4331 (holo:PERTH;iso;CANB,K,MEL,NSW,NY).
m
Erect,straggly,glabrous ortreej,1.5-4 tall,sometimesto6m,crownsomewhatdiffuse.Bark
darkgreyandfissuredonmaintrunks,upperbranchesandbranchletssmoothandpruinose,on young
plantsthepruinosityextends togroundlevel. Branchletsterete, obscurelyribbed,pminose. Stipules
mm
spinescent, robust, rigid, 3-6 long, spreading, straight to very shallowly recurved, frequently
deciduous or only bases remaining at many nodes. Phyllodes slightly to moderately asymmetric,
occasionallymarkedlyasymmetric,uppermarginusuallymoreconvexthanthelower,ovatetoelliptic
ornarrowlyelliptic,sometimesafewobovateorlanceolate,(2)2.5-5.5(6.51cmlong,(0.7)l-2.5(3.3)cm
wide,l:w=(1.5)2-4(5),coriaceous,smoothandslightlythickenedwhenfresh,veryfinelywrinkledwhen
dry,slightlyundulate,green;midribprominent,centralortowardslowermargin,obscurelypenninerved
withlateralnervesdivergingfrommidribatanacuteangle;apicesrounded-obtuse,refusetosub-retuse,
insignificantlymucronulate,mucroc.0.5mmlong;pulvinus2-4mmlong,terete. Glandssituatedon
uppermarginofphyllode,thebasalglandcircularoroblong,0-2mmabovepulvinusandusually0.5-1
mm
long, usually a second insignificant gland present near the mucro and flanked by a pair of
microscopic, caducous, stipule-like appendages. Racemes concentrated towards ends ofbranchlets,
1-2 peraxil, sometimes asecondaryphyllodedeveloped withinaxil ofthe twinnedpeduncles so that
294 NuytsiaVol.8,No.2(1992)
Figure'i.Acaciachartacea.A-Floweringbranchlet.B-Portionofbranchlet,notetwopeduncleswithasupra-basalbract(insert
showingspinosestipules).C-Legume.D-Seed.
AfromSJ?.Maj/in4331.BfromA.C.Burns1Q56.C&D(mmA.MAshby4495.
some(rarelyall)inflorescencesaresimple,infrequentlyallinflorescencessimpleandinitiatedonnew
shoots as inA. synchronicia;raceme axis (1)3-8(14) cm long,±straight, base ebracteate. Peduncles
commonlytwinned,8-15mmlong,baseebracteateatanthesis,ausuallycaducousbractnormallysituated
mm
nearapexofpeduncleistriangular-ovateandc.1 long. f/oH’er-/;caufiglobular,creamtopalelemon
yellow,densely60-90-flowered. similartosepals.F/owers5-merous. Sepalsivze,1/2to2/3
mm
lengthofpetals,narrowlyspathulate,clawsnarrowlylinear. Petalsc.2.5 long. Legw/ncjnarrowly
oblong,to5 cmlong, 8-12mm wide, chartaceous, straight,notorscarcelyconstrictedbetweenseeds
although occasional moderately deep constrictions occur, rounded over seeds along midline, finely
transverselyreticulate,light(yellowish)brown,slightlyshiny,obtuse-apiculate,stipeslenderandto5
