Acacia purpureopetala F.M.Bailey (as ‘purpureapetala’), Queensland Agric. J. 15: 780 (1905)
Sprawling, prostrate shrub to 0.5 m high; new growth purplish. Branchlets puberulous to pubescent. Stipules 2–3 mm long, normally recurved. Phyllodes slightly asymmetric, narrowly oblong-elliptic, sometimes oblanceolate, 15–35 mm long, 4–6 mm wide, l:w = 4–7, excentrically mucronate, with 0.5–2 mm long mucro, coriaceous, finely puberulous with hairs often confined to margins when old; midrib and margins prominent; lateral nerves scarcely evident; gland 1–6 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences simple, 1 per axil; peduncles 7–15 mm long, puberulous, the base ebracteate, sometimes a single bract above middle; heads globular, 15–20-flowered, mauve-pink. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods narrowly oblong to elliptic, to 30 mm long, 4–7 mm wide, normally 1–3-seeded, thinly coriaceous-crustaceous, brown, glabrous or subglabrous. Seeds longitudinal, circular to widely elliptic, compressed, 4–5 mm long, exarillate; funicle filiform.
A rare species confined to the Herberton region, Qld. Grows on steep rocky slopes in Eucalyptus woodland; often colonises disused mine sites. Flowers sporadically, though not prolifically, throughout most of the year but main flush in June- July.
Unique among the Australian acacias in having consistently mauve-pink flowers.
Seemingly related to A. hispidula which has pale yellow to nearly white heads, 3/4-united sepals and has phyllodes that are obviously tuberculate, at least on their abaxial margins.
Type of accepted name
Herberton, Qld, J.Stirling 214 ; holo: BRI; iso: K, NSW.
Synonymy
Racosperma purpureopetalum (F.M.Bailey) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 354 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 101 & pl. 13 (1981); J.B.Hacker, Guide Herbaceous & Shrub Legumes Queensland 50 (1990).
Representative collections
Qld: near Irvinebank, J.Armstrong 1024 & D.F.Blaxell (BRI, CANB, NSW); Stannary Hills, P.Hind 1047 & C.K.Ingram (NSW, PERTH).
(BRM)
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.
