Acacia scalena Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 396 (1999)
Much-branched, often straggly, glabrous shrub to 1.3 m high. Ultimate branchlets patent to ascending, short, rigid, straight, somewhat spinose, commonly lightly pruinose. Phyllodes sessile, dimidiate, with adaxial margin conspicuously rounded with its proximal edge parallel to branchlet and its distal edge variably crenulate-erose, 5–10 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, pungent with a 1.5–3 mm long cusp, glaucous to subglaucous; midrib near lower margin; minor nerves normally branched and running into adaxial margin. Inflorescences rudimentary 1-headed racemes with axes to 0.5 mm long; peduncles 4–7 mm long; basal bracts 2, variably persistent; heads globular, 18–22-flowered, golden; bracteoles obtuse, overtopping flowers in buds. Flowers 5-merous; sepals c. 2/3 united. Pods narrowly oblong, to 4 cm long, 4–6 mm wide, undulate. Seeds longitudinal, elliptic, c. 3 mm long, mottled; aril waxy dull yellow.
Occurs from Ballidu to Latham, south-western W.A. Grows in often gravelly sand or loam, in open heath or Eucalyptus woodland.
A member of the ‘ A. pravifolia group’ near A. flabellifolia which has hirsutellous to puberulous branchlets, non-glaucous phyllodes and coiled pods. Superficially resembles A. rendlei .
Type of accepted name
1.5 km NE of Wubin towards Paynes Find, W.A., 5 July 1980, B.R.Maslin 4553 ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, NY.
Representative collections
W.A.: Ballidu, R.T.Lange 55 (PERTH); 5 km S of Wubin towards Dalwallinu, B.R.Maslin 3369 (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.
