Acacia sericata A.Cunn. ex Benth., London J. Bot . 1: 380 (1842)
Shrub or tree 2.5–10 m high, most parts usually densely minutely stellate-velvety. Phyllodes inequilaterally ovate or elliptic, falcate, 8–15 cm long, usually 2–6 cm wide, obtuse, thinly coriaceous, with usually 3 or 4 distant main nerves (some confluent with lower margin near base), reticulate; gland basal, 1–3 additional glands often in shallow notches along upper margin. Inflorescences in axillary racemes or terminal panicles; axes 3.5–6 cm long, stellate-velvety; peduncles 10 mm long, in fascicles of 2–4; heads globular, 5 mm diam., c. 30-flowered, white; bracteole apex densely yellow-puberulous. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united to near densely puberulous apex, with brown medial stripe, interconnected by translucent tissue. Pods flat, to 14.5 cm long, 2.2–3.5 cm wide, woody, coarsely reticulate-nerved, glabrous, narrowly winged. Seeds transverse, oblong, 9.5–10 mm long, dull, brown except periphery black; aril large.
A poorly collected species occurring in the Kimberley region from the Isdell R. NE to the Drysdale R. area, W.A. As noted by G.J.Leach, Nuytsia 9: 353 (1994), this species has been erroneously reported as occurring in N.T. Grows on sandy river banks and hillside crevices in open forest, woodland and shrubland.
See R.S.Cowan & B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 10: 81 (1995), for discussion of the binomial [ Acacia ] ‘sericata Ait. (ex Loudon)’ which appears in E.G. von Steudel, Nomencl. Bot. 2nd edn., 1: 8 (1840).
G.Bentham, Fl. Austral. 2: 391 (1864) treated A. platycarpa as a synonym of A. sericata . The two taxa are closely related and would perhaps be best treated as subspecies of a single species; however, A. sericata is readily recognised by its densely minutely stellate-velvety phyllodes. Stellate hairs are uncommon in Acacia but they are found in a few related species such as A. auricoma , A. leptoloba and A . sericata . Acacia sericata is also related to A. convallium and A. dunnii .
Specimens from the Mitchell Plateau area differ from those elsewhere in having branchlets that are sparsely stellate-velvety (cf. P.A.Fryxell et al. 4771 ) or glabrous and pruinose (cf. J.S.Beard 8315 ). Two other Kimberley collections, A.S.George 12221 (CANB, MEL, PERTH) and 12582 (PERTH), are unusual in having 2-nerved phyllodes 1–1.5 cm wide.
Type of accepted name
Montague and York Sounds, [N coast of W.A., 6–9 Sept. 1820], A.Cunningham [297] ; holo: K (herb. Bentham); iso: K.
Representative collections
W.A.: Mitchell Plateau, J.S.Beard 8315 (CANB, PERTH); SE of Port Warrender and N of Lawley R., P.A.Fryxell , L.A.Craven & J.McD.Stewart 4771 (PERTH); Drysdale R. Natl Park, A.S.George 13453 (PERTH); Prince Regent R. Reserve, K.F.Kenneally 2034 (BRI, PERTH).
(RSC & 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.
