Acacia spectabilis A.Cunn. ex Benth., London J. Bot . 1: 383 (1842)
Mudgee Wattle , Pilliga Wattle , Glory Wattle
Shrub or tree 2–4 (–6) m high. Bark smooth, blue-grey, grey or whitish. Branchlets terete, shortly hirsute to glabrous; ridges not prominent. Young foliage-tips pendulous, cream-coloured, densely hirsute. Leaves subcoriaceous, blue-green, glaucous; petiole hairy or glabrous, (0.1–) 0.5–1.2 cm long, terete, often with an obscure gland at or near apex; rachis hairy or glabrous, (1–) 2–7 (–8.5) cm long, mostly eglandular, rarely with an orbicular, glabrous, dark gland at the insertion of apical pinnae; pinnae 2–6 (–7) pairs, (0.5–) 1–3.5 cm long, narrowing towards base; pinnules (2–) 4–8 pairs, narrowly obovate or oblong, (5–) 7–16 mm long, 2.5–6 (–7) mm wide, glabrous, obscurely 2- or 3-veined, the apex broadly rounded or emarginate, mostly wider than the unequally-sided base. Inflorescences in very elongated axillary racemes, or terminal or axillary false-panicles. Heads 12–20-flowered, golden. Pods straight-sided, 4–10 (–17) cm long, (8–) 10–15 (–19) mm wide, thinly coriaceous, purplish or bluish brown, black or dark brown, usually pruinose, glabrous. 2 n = 26, C.Hamant et al ., Taxon 24: 669 (1975).
Extends in south-eastern Qld from Eidsvold and Fraser Is. S to the Darling Downs and common on the slopes and western plains of N.S.W. in the Pilliga Scrub S to Cowra and W to Condobolin; occasionally naturalised on the North and Central Coasts of N.S.W. Grows in open forest, woodland or heath, often associated with Callitris spp., in sandy or gravelly soils, on sandstone, granite or laterite. Flowers mainly July–Nov.; fruits Nov., Dec., June.
Often cultivated as an ornamental tree or shrub which is moderately frost resistant.
Acacia spectabilis occasionally hybridizes with A. baileyana .
Type of accepted name
Country between the Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers, N.S.W., [A.]Cunningham ; lecto: K (photo NSW), fide L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 298 (1979); Wellington Valley, N.S.W., ?1817, A.Cunningham ; syn: K (photo NSW); Gwydir River, N.S.W., A.Cunningham ; syn: K; Brisbane River, [Qld], 1829, Fraser ; syn: K (photo NSW).
Synonymy
Racosperma spectabile (A.Cunn. ex Benth.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 355 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
(?) Acacia chrysobotrya Meisn., Index Sem. Hort. Basil . 1 (1842), ex description.
Illustrations
M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 1: 311 (1987); W.R.Elliot & D.L.Jones, Encycl. Austral. Pl . 2: 116 (1982); D.A.Morrison & S.J.Davies, in G.J.Harden (ed.), Fl. New South Wales 2: 383 (1991).
Representative collections
Qld: 15 miles [24.2 km] W of Dalby, N.T.Burbidge 5462 (CANB, NSW); 22.5 km N of Miles, R.W.Johnson 2786 (BRI, MEL, NSW). N.S.W.: 15.4 km SW of Gooloogong School, R.G.Coveny 12079 & P.Hind (B, MEL, NSW, TL, US); 11.3 km E of Condobolin, G.M.Cunningham & P.L.Milthorpe 2095 (NSW); 69.2 km W of Cowra, M.D.Tindale & J.Lanyon (NSW101332).
(MDT & PGK)
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.
