Acacia preissiana (Meisn.) Maslin, Nuytsia 1: 448; 449, fig. 20 & 489, map 8 (1975)
Prostrate or semi-prostrate shrub, multistemmed from a lignotuber. Branchlets usually pilose and hirsutellous admixed. Stipules oblong to widely ovate. Pinnae 2– 3 pairs, 3– 7 mm long (proximal pinnae), 7– 20 mm long (distal pinnae); petiole normally 1– 2 mm long; rachis 3– 10 mm long; pinnules 2– 3 pairs (proximal pinnae), 3– 7 pairs (distal pinnae), 4– 6 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, revolute, hirsutellous to shortly pilose; gland on rachis commonly midway between pinnae, sessile, not prominent. Inflorescences simple, 1 per axil; peduncles 15– 25 mm long, usually pilose; heads globular, 20– 28-flowered, light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals c. 3/4-united; petals striate, hirsutellous at apex. Pods 2– 5 cm long, 6 mm wide, glabrous or pilose. Seeds (few seen, immature) longitudinal; aril narrowly clavate, as long as seed.
Occurs from N of Bindoon S to Whicher Ra. (near Busselton) with a single collection from near Albany, south-western W.A. Grows in laterite or sand over laterite in Jarrah ( Eucalyptus marginata ) and Wandoo ( E. wandoo ) forest.
A glabrous variant occurs with typical A. preissiana at Mt Talbot, near York (e.g. 23 Jan. 1924, O.H.Sargent , CANB, K, PERTH).
Easily distinguished from A. tayloriana by its revolute pinnules and striate petals. Affinities of these two summer-flowering, prostrate species to other members of sect. Pulchellae are not clear, fide , P.Guinet et al. , Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 80: 53- 68 (1980).
Type of accepted name
Interior of south-west W.A., Oct. 1840, L.Preiss 885 ; lecto: NY, fide B.R.Maslin & R.S.Cowan, Nuytsia 9: 410 (1994); isolecto: G-DC, K, LD, MEL, P, PERTH.
Synonymy
Acacia obscura var. preissiana Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 1: 20 (1844). Type: as for accepted name.
Acacia preissiana Lehm., Del. Sem. Hort. Hamburg 1842: 3 (1842), nom. nud.
[ Acacia obscura auct. non A.DC.: G.Bentham, Fl. Austral. 2: 418 (1864) p.p. , as to J.Drummond 4: 18 (CGE, G-DC, K, MEL, NSW, OXF, P, PERTH, TCD) & L.Preiss 885 (see above); E.Pritzel, Bot. Jahrb. Syst . 35: 312 (1904), as to E.Pritzel 153 , (B, E, G-DC, K, L, M, MO, P, PERTH, PR, US, Z)]
Illustrations
B.R.Maslin, loc. cit .
Representative collections
W.A.: near Albany, Dec. 1927, W.E.Blackall s.n. (PERTH); between Bindoon and New Norcia on Great Northern Hwy, B.R.Maslin 5300 (MELU, MO, PERTH).
(BRM)
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