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Acacia limbata

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Acacia limbata F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot . 3: 145 (1859)

Slender, glabrous, resinous shrub, 0.4–2 m high. Bark longitudinally fissured, grey or greyish brown. Branchlets flattened towards apices, often pruinose, glabrous; ridges prominent, non-resinous. Phyllodes obliquely narrowly elliptic, elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, subfalcate to falcate, mostly 6–10 cm long, 12–33 mm wide, with pale, prominent margins, subcoriaceous, glabrous, with 3 prominent longitudinal nerves (2 continuous from base to apex, 1 confluent with lower margin near base) and 3 or 4 subprominent, parallel nerves, the minor nerves 2–4 per mm, anastomosing; gland 1, basal, 0.2–3.8 mm above pulvinus. Peduncles (15–) 20–40 (–50) mm long. Spikes 0.9–2.5 cm long, bright yellow. Flowers 5-merous; calyx 0.5–0.8, dissected for 1/3–1/2, glabrous; corolla 1.2–1.8 mm long, dissected for 1/3–1/2, glabrous; ovary glabrous. Pods erect, mostly narrowly oblanceolate, straight-sided, flat, 3.8–8.5 cm long, 8.5–15 mm wide, woody, reddish- or purplish-brown, paler over seeds, sometimes pruinose, obliquely nerved, glabrous, opening elastically from a hooked apex; seed partitions thick. Seeds oblique, elliptic to obovate, 4.6–6.6 mm long, brownish black; funicle-aril turbinate.

Occurs in tropical Australia, from the Ord Region, W.A. to the McArthur R., N.T., and extreme north-western Qld. Grows on sandstone, in gravelly soils on stony hillsides, in open eucalypt woodland, usually near creeks, often with Melaleuca species. Flowers Mar.–July.

The description above excludes several similar specimens from Qld that differ from A. limbata , viz . Riversleigh Holding, C.H.Gittins 799 (NSW), Camooweal–Gregory road, c. 42 km beyond Thorntonia HS, C.H.Gittins 164 (NSW), and c. 3 km E of The Monument, P.L.Harris 628 (BRI). L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 169 (1978), refers to a possible undescribed taxon, which these specimens may represent. They have larger phyllodes (9–12 cm long, 1.8–3 cm wide), a more prominent basal gland, longer pulvini (4–6 mm) and shorter peduncles (5–10 mm long). These specimens also have pubescent ovaries, glandular hairs on the calyx and longer pods (7–10 cm) than A. limbata . Further investigation is required.

Acacia limbata is allied to A. argyraea and A. lazaridis .

Type of accepted name

North Australia, F.Mueller s.n. ; lecto: K (photo CANB), fide M.D.Tindale, Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 142 (1970); isolecto: MEL, NSW.

Synonymy

Racosperma limbatum (F.Muell.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 351 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.

Illustration

J.Brock, Top End Native Pl. 66 (1988).

Representative collections

W.A.: Wade Ck, Osmond Ra., I.D.Cowie 1900 (BRI, CANB, DNA, K, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 44 miles [70 km] from Bedford Downs Stn towards Tablelands Stn, Kimberley, C.H.Gittins 1433 (NSW). N.T.: headwaters of McArthur R., S.T.Blake 17771 (BRI, NSW). Qld: Gregory–Lawn Hill road, C.H.Gittins 1266 (CANB, NSW); 27 km NW of ‘Corinda’, S.Jacobs 1511 (CANB, K, NSW).

(NSW)

WATTLE Acacias of Australia CD-ROM graphic

The information presented here originally appeared on the WATTLE CD-ROM which was jointly published by the Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, and the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth; it was produced by CSIRO Publishing from where it is available for purchase. The WATTLE custodians are thanked for allowing us to post this information here.

Page last updated: Thursday 22 June 2023