Acacia tenuissima F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot . 3: 135 (1859)
Multistemmed, resinous shrub to c. 4 m high. Bark smooth, grey purplish or brown. Branchlets terete, glabrous; ridges yellow resin-crenulated. Phyllodes filiform, terete to compressed, 6–15 cm long, 0.7–1.3 mm wide, glabrous, multistriate, the nerves usually inconspicuous, often some nerves and margins resin-crenulated when dry; gland 1, basal, just above pulvinus. Spikes 0.5–1 cm long, pale yellow to bright yellow. Flowers 5-merous; calyx 0.8–1 mm long, truncate, thin, dissected irregularly into lobes, glabrous; corolla 1.2–1.4 mm long, dissected to 1/2, glabrous; ovary mealy. Pods linear, raised over and constricted between seeds, straight, later curved or coiled, 2.5–5 cm long, 2–3.5 mm wide, chartaceous, scaly when mature. Seeds longitudinal, 2.5–4 mm long, black; areole small, open.
Widespread in tropical W.A., N.T. and Qld, extending into north-eastern S.A. at Innamincka Stn; also reported from gently undulating sand plain country in the Hanging Knoll area of north-western S.A. Common in eucalypt woodland, often with spinifex, in sandy soils. Flowers mainly Mar.–Aug.
Acacia tenuissima superficially resembles A. orthocarpa but distinguished most readily by its striate (not puncticulate) phyllodes and chartaceous, submoniliform pods. It is also similar to A. exilis and A. macdonnelliensis subsp. teretifolia . Details of fire tolerance and Aboriginal use of A. tenuissima are given by P.Latz, Bushfires & Bushtucker 118 (1995).
Type of accepted name
Sturts [Sturt] Creek, [W.A./N.T.], F.Mueller 72 ; holo: MEL; iso: K.
Synonymy
Acacia xylocarpa var. tenuissima (F.Muell.) Benth., Fl. Austral . 2: 401 (1864); Racosperma tenuissimum (F.Muell.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 356 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Acacia pityoides F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot . 3: 135 (1859), p.p. , not as to lectotype, as to paralectotype: Suttor R., F.Mueller , fide L.Pedley, Proc. Roy. Soc.Queensland 75: 34 (1964).
Acacia luerssenii Domin, Biblioth. Bot . 89: 267 (1926). Type: in collibus arenosis Dividing Range dictis apud opp. Jericho, Qld, Mar. 1910, K.Domin ‘5099’ ; holo: PR n.v ., fide L.Pedley, loc. cit. (1964).
Illustrations
F.Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec. 10 [pl. 7] (1888), as A. pityoides , as to fruiting branchlet and right hand phyllode detail; M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 1: 243 (1987); D.J.E.Whibley & D.E.Symon, Acacias S. Australia 2nd edn, 276 & 277 (1992); P.Latz, loc. cit.
Representative collections
W.A.: c. 80 km NW of Wittenoom on road to Roebourne, B.R.Maslin 5571A (NSW, PERTH). N.T.: Negri–Stirling area, C.Dunlop 3564 (BRI, CANB, NSW, NT); 16 km N of Tennant Creek, N.Forde 21 (CANB, NSW). S.A.: Marqualpie Paddock, Innamincka Stn, J.Reid 1640 (AD n.v .). Qld: c. 59 km S of Prairie on Muttaburra Rd, P.Hind 1067 & C.K.Ingram (AD, K, MEL, NSW, PERTH, TL, Z).
(NSW)
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.
