Acacia spilleriana J.E.Br., Forest Fl. S. Australia pt 7, t. 31 (1886)
Bushy, often rounded, spreading shrub 1–2 m high. Branchlets velvety, the hairs citron and silvery white on new shoots. Phyllodes elliptic to oblong-elliptic or obovate, 2–3 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, l:w = 1.5–2.5, obtuse, coriaceous, grey-green to glaucous, velvety; midrib and marginal nerves prominent; lateral nerves obscure; gland not prominent, 1.5 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences 1- or 2-headed rudimentary racemes with axes 0.5–2 mm long; peduncles 1–3 cm long, stout, velvety; heads globular, 10- 12 mm diam. (fresh) , 30–40-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals irregularly c. 1/4–1/2 united. Pods oblong to narrowly oblong, to 5.5 cm long, 14–18 mm wide, coriaceous-crustaceous, black, pruinose, glabrous. Seeds oblique, oblong-elliptic, 5–6 mm long, subshiny, black; aril terminal, shortly clavate.
Restricted to the North Mt Lofty Ra., S.A., where it extends from near Burra to Auburn and the Southern Tothill Ranges. Grows in woodland and mallee.
Acacia spilleriana was based on discordant elements. The flowering branch illustrated in the protologue best matches specimens from Burra Ck gorge in phyllode shape and size and inflorescence characters, although it is curious that the prominent indumentum is not shown. The name A. spilleriana is therefore here applied to specimens agreeing with Burra Ck gorge plants. The Wirrabara syntype is probably A. brachybotrya (Wirrabara variant) . Acacia spilleriana as here defined is most similar to the typical variant of A. brachybotrya but distinguished by broader pods with oblique seeds, stouter and usually longer peduncles, larger flower-heads and usually larger phyllodes with a denser indumentum. Although J.H.Maiden, Forest Fl. New South Wales 6(3): 48, pl. 200F–N (1914), treated A. spilleriana as a variety of A. brachybotrya he later considered it a distinct species, see J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 53: 200 (1920). The status of this species deserves further attention.
Type of accepted name
Hill R. Estate near Clare, S.A., J.E.Brown ; syn: n.v. ; Hundred of Bright, c. 25 miles [40 km] SE of Burra, S.A., J.E.Brown ; syn: n.v. ; Wirrabara Forest, S.A., J.E.Brown ; syn: see A. brachybotrya variant 3.
Synonymy
Acacia brachybotrya var. spilleriana (J.E.Br.) F.Muell. ex Maiden, Forest Fl. New South Wales 6(3): 48, pl. 200F–N (1914); A. brachybotrya var. spilleriana (J.E.Br.) J.M.Black, Fl. S. Australia 2nd edn, 3: 533 (1952), superfluous comb. Type: as for accepted name.
Illustration
D.J.E.Whibley & D.E.Symon, Acacias S. Australia 2nd edn, 75 (1992).
Representative collections
S.A.: c. 1 km from Auburn on Balaklava road, B.Copley 2395 (AD, PERTH); c. 6 km SE of Marrabel, B.Copley 3870 (AD); Burra Ck gorge, 3 km W of Worlds End, B.R.Maslin 5992B (AD, K, MEL).
(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.
