Acacia triptera Benth., London J. Bot . 1:325 (1842)
Spur-wing Wattle .
Spreading, twisted shrub or tree to 4.5 m high and 7 m across. Stipules setaceous, less than 0.5 mm long or obscure. Phyllodes decurrent along branches for 1–2 cm, spur-like or falcate, 1.6–4.0 cm long, and 5–10 mm wide rarely less, pungent, flat, rigid, the veins numerous, fine, parallel but occasionally adjacent veins coalescing with one another; gland small, often basal. Inflorescences with peduncles 3–6 mm long, glabrous; spikes 7–30 mm long. Flowers loose or occasionally compact, 4-merous, bright yellow; sepals united. Pods linear, compressed, hardly constricted between seeds; arcuate, 2.5–8 cm long and 2–4 mm wide, the valves thin but not chartaceous. Seeds ovoid or elliptic, 3–4 mm long, deep reddish brown or sometimes almost black; funicle filamentous and mostly straight for c. 2 mm and then much folded and thickened into a turbinate aril.
Widespread on sandy plains or in skeletal soils on rocky escarpments in central and southern Qld and central N.S.W., usually occurring W of the Great Dividing Ra. and sometimes forming extensive and impenetrable thickets in open eucalypt woodland. An isolated occurrence occurs in the Warby Ra. near Wangarrata in north-east Vic. Usually flowers from Aug.–Nov. and fruits Nov.–Jan., rarely later.
The affinities of this species are unknown: it differs widely from all other species of Acacia by having 4-merous flowers and broadly decurrent phyllodes and it is easily distinguished by these characters.
Type of accepted name
Barren lands north of Arbuthnot Range [Warrumbungle Ra.] N.S.W., 1818?, C.Fraser s.n. ; holo: K n.v.
Synonymy
Acacia triptera var. lyndonii R.T.Baker, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales ser. 2, 22: 696, t. 25 (1898). Type: Round Mountain near Coonabarabran, N.S.W., S.Lyndon s.n. ; lecto: plate 25, R.Baker ( loc. cit. ), fide A.B.Court (to be published in Appendix to Fl. Australia vol. 11, 2001).
Illustrations
L.F.Costermans, Native Trees Shrubs SE Australia 302 (1981); M.H.Simmons, Acacias Australia pl. 112 (1981); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 41, pl. 17 (1992).
Representative collections
Qld: near ‘Pelham’ NW of Chinchilla, S.T.Blake 18212 (K, MEL). N.S.W.: Howell, K.Thurtell & R.Coveny 3921 (CANB, MEL, NSW); 5.5 miles [9 km] from Nymagee on the Cobar rd, C.W.E.Moore 4502 (MEL); 3 miles [4.8 km] W of Gungal, 28 Sept. 1968, A.N.Rodd 2190 (NSW). Vic.: Warby Ra. near Wangaratta, Oct. 1948, W.J.Zimmer s.n. (MEL).
(ABC)
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.
