Acacia squamata Lindl., Sketch Veg. Swan R . xv (1839)
Erect or sometimes trailing, multistemmed, glabrous subshrub 0.15–0.6 m high, sometimes rhizomatous. Stems frequently flexuose, terete, obscurely nerved, green to glaucous. Phyllodes resembling stems, distant, sessile, ascending to erect, terete, 2–7 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, sometimes uncinate, 4-nerved but nerves not or scarcely evident. Inflorescences 2–4-headed racemes; raceme axes short, enclosed when young by conspicuous, imbricate bracts; peduncles 7–13 mm long; heads globular, 6–11-flowered, golden; bracteoles absent. Sepals united, minute, membranous, repand; petals absent. Pods linear to narrowly oblong, to c. 8 cm long, 4–5 mm wide, crustaceous; margins thick. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, c. 4 mm long, dull to slightly shiny, brown (? or black); aril terminal.
Occurs in south-western W.A. from near Bindoon S to near Mt Barker, Bremer Bay and Fitzgerald R. Natl Park, and extending inland to near Newdegate; one collection from Gairdner Ra. area, c. 150 km N of Bindoon. Commonly grows on laterite or lateritic sand or loam, in Eucalyptus woodland, scrub or heath; sometimes in rocky, sandy clay in open Wandoo ( Eucalyptus wandoo ) woodland.
Remarkable in that petals are absent. Probably related to A. flagelliformis which is distinguished by its quadrangular to flat phyllodes and 4–9-headed racemes.
Type of accepted name
Swan R., W.A., 1839, J.Drummond s.n .; holo: CGE; iso: K.
Synonymy
Acacia squamata Morren, Ann. Soc. Roy. Agric. Gand 3: 209, t. 134 (1847), nom. illeg. , non Lindl. (1839). Type: ‘Le pied qui a servi de modle n la planche provient de la collection de M.C.Glym, horticulteur Utrecht...’; n.v.
[ Acacia nigripilosa auct. non Maiden: W.R.Elliot & D.L.Jones, Encycl. Austral. Pl . 2: 89 (1982) p.p., excl. pod description]
Illustrations
C.F.A.Morren, loc. cit .; W.R.Elliot & D.L.Jones, loc. cit .; W.J.Hooker, Icon. Pl . ser. 1, t. 367 (1841).
Representative collections
W.A.: Two Bump Hill, Fitzgerald R. Natl Park, J.M.Fox 86/95 (CANB); Clackline Nature Reserve, G.J.Keighery 3979 (PERTH); Gairdner Ra., D.Lievense, July 1980 (PERTH); 27.5 km N of Kojonup on Albany Hwy, B.R.Maslin 2616 (CANB, PERTH); 17 km E of Newdegate towards Lake King, B.R.Maslin 3433 (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.
