Acacia spondylophylla F.Muell., Fragm . 8: 243 (1874)
Curry Wattle
Spreading shrub to 2 m high, viscid. Stems puberulous. Stipules 1–1.5 mm long, viscid. Phyllodes 8–12 (–14) per whorl, straight or recurved towards apex, slightly flattened, 6–10 mm long, less than 1 mm wide, shortly mucronate, shortly puberulous.with an obscure impressed nerve on upper surface, both surfaces obscurely ribbed when dry. Peduncles 10–25 mm long, sparsely pilose, viscid. Heads 25–40-flowered. Flowers 5-merous; calyx 0.8–1.2 mm long, lobed to c. half way, membranous, glabrous, the lobes spathulate or triangular; corolla lobes smooth, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Pods linear, curved, 20–40 mm long, 6–8 mm wide, with nerve-like margins, coriaceous, viscid. Seeds transverse, 3.5–4 mm long; pleurogram open.
Occurs commonly in the Pilbara region and at scattered localities E to the Rawlinson Ra., W.A., in the Macdonnell and Musgrave Ranges, N.T. and E to Dajarra, Qld. Grows in shallow, sandy or rocky soil.
Phyllodes sometimes to 14 per whorl, usually bright to dark green and aromatic with a curry-like scent. Often confused with A. perryi which has larger phyllodes and stipules, as well as striate-nerved corollas. The smooth corolla suggests relationships with A. hippuroides . Possibly hybridises with A. adoxa var. adoxa in the Pilbara region, W.A.
Type of accepted name
Without definite locality, central Australia, J.McD. Stuart ; lecto: MEL24915, fide L. Pedley, Contr. Queensland Herb. 11: 22 (1972); between Barrow Ra. and Rawlinson Ra., W.A., 1873, E.Giles ; syn: MEL; Palm Valley, N.T., 1872, E.Giles ; syn: MEL.
Synonymy
Racosperma spondylophyllum (F.Muell.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 355 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
F.Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec 3 [pl. 7] (1887); L.Pedley, Contr. Queensland Herb. 11: 3, fig. 1b (1972); B.R.Maslin in J.P.Jessop (ed.), Fl. Centr. Australia 117, fig. 157A (1981).
Representative collections
W.A.: Hamersley Ra., C.A.Gardner 3123 (PERTH). N.T.: Central Mt Wedge Stn, G.M.Chippendale NT1839 (BRI, CANB, NSW, NT); c. 22 km SE of Aileron, M.Lazarides 5779 (BRI, CANB, MEL, NT); 16 km S of Barrow Creek, R.A.Perry 2723 (BRI, CANB, MEL, NT). Qld: Ardmore, 40 km W of Dajarra, S.L.Everist 3191 (BRI, CANB).
(ASG)
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.
