Acacia oncinocarpa Benth., London J. Bot . 1: 378 (1842)
Rounded, resinous shrub or tree, 0.5–5 m high, prostrate in exposed coastal areas. Bark smooth or flaky, grey to brown. Branchlets angular towards apices, with reddish brown granules. Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to elliptic or sometimes narrowly oblanceolate, straight or curved, 6–15 cm long, (5–) 7–24 mm wide, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, glabrous or hoary, with 3–5 prominent longitudinal nerves of which lower 2 often confluent with margin near base, sometimes 2 or 3 semiprominent parallel nerves, the minor nerves 3–6 per mm, sometimes sparingly anastomosing; gland 1, inconspicuous, 2–7.5 mm above pulvinus. Spikes up to 5 in axils, 2.5–8 cm long, loosely flowered, pale yellow to cream-coloured. Flowers 5-merous, rarely 4-merous, delicate; calyx membraneous, 0.4–0.6 mm long, dissected to 1/5–1/3, glabrous or with reddish brown granules towards sepal apices; corolla 0.9–1.1 mm long, dissected to 1/2–2/3, glabrous; ovary glabrous. Pods erect, very narrowly oblanceolate to linear, basally narrowed, flat, straight-sided, 5–11 cm long, 4.5–10 mm wide, woody, glabrous, obliquely reticulately nerved, curling upwards from apex after dehiscence; seed partitions and margins thick. Seeds oblique, oblong-elliptic, 4–7 mm long, brown; areole narrowly oblong, open; funicle-aril narrowly conical.
Occurs in tropical N.T., N of 16S; common in Arnhem Land. Grows in red or grey sand or loam, often gravelly soil, on sandstone, granite or laterite, in eucalypt or Melaleuca woodland, forest or shrubland, often in coastal sand dune or cliff areas. Flowers Mar.–Aug.
This species is a member of the ‘ A. stigmatophylla group’. It is related to A. oligoneura which has mostly narrowly oblanceolate phyllodes (broadest above middle) with an open reticulate nervation, and brighter yellow inflorescences. Both species have similar flowers and reddish brown granules on their branchlets, phyllodes, bracteole laminae and sepal apices.
Type of accepted name
Melville Is., N Coast, [N.T.], C.Fraser ; syn: K; isosyn: NSW; Sim’s Is., A.Cunningham ; syn: K; isosyn: NSW.
Synonymy
Acacia loxocarpa Benth., London J. Bot. 1: 377 (1842). Type: S Goulburn Is., N.T., A.Cunningham ; holo: K; iso: NSW.
Illustrations
J.H.Maiden, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 53: pl. 17, figs 1–9 (1920); K.Brennan, Wildfl. Kakadu 63, pl. 107 (1986); J.Brock, Top End Native Pl. 70 (1988); C.R.Dunlop, G.J.Leach & I.D.Cowie, Fl. Darwin Region 2: 15, fig. 7 (1995).
Representative collections
N.T.: Melville Is., C.Dunlop 3053 (BRI, DNA, NSW); E of Oenpelli, Nimburrah road, R.Pullen 9505 (CANB, MEL); 41 km S of Katherine, King R. crossing, M.D.Tindale 6065 & C.Dunlop (BRI, CANB, K, NSW, UNSW, Z).
(NSW)
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.
