Acacia ulicina Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss . 2: 202 (1848)
Rigid, much-branched, spreading, glabrous or sometimes hirtellous shrub 0.3–1 m high, sometimes semi-prostrate. Branches striate, pruinose between ribs, dividing into numerous, short, divaricate, spinescent, aphyllous branchlets. Phyllodes often erect, linear, semi-terete to flat, 7–15 mm long, sometimes 20–40 mm long at base of branchlets, 0.5–1.5 mm wide, excentrically mucronulate with apex sometimes uncinate; midrib raised; upper margin often slightly thickened. Inflorescences rudimentary 1-headed racemes with axes <0.5 mm long; peduncles 4–10 mm long; basal bracts brown; heads globular to shortly obloid, golden, 4.5–5.5 mm diam., 15–25-flowered; bracteoles concave, brown. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united; petals 1-nerved. Pods constricted between and prominently rounded over seeds, curved, to 4 cm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, very thinly coriaceous, dark brown. Seeds longitudinal, ovate, obliquely truncate adjacent to prominent aril, 2.5–3 mm long, khaki-coloured; aril dark coloured.
Extending from Kalbarri Natl Park S to near Tammin and Brookton, south-western W.A. Grows in often stony clay or loam.
E.Pritzel, Bot. Jahrb. Syst . 35: 299 (1904), misapplied the name A. ulicina to a specimen of A. oxyclada . He then described true A. ulicina as A. leptacantha . J.H.Maiden, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 53: 192 (1920), erroneously synonymised A. leptacantha E.Pritz. under A. spinosissima . The White Peak specimen cited by E.Pritzel, op. cit . 292, under A. genistoides is also A. ulicina .
May be confused with the sometimes sympatric A. spinosissima which has generally broader, consistently flat phyllodes with midrib scarcely raised, ebracteolate heads, nerveless petals and pruinose pods.
Type of accepted name
Swan R., W.A., J.Drummond 2: 147 ; holo: BM (sheet labelled herb. Shuttleworth); iso: G, K, LD, MEL, NSW, OXF, P, PERTH; see B.R.Maslin & R.S.Cowan, Nuytsia 9: 413 (1994), for note on types.
Synonymy
Acacia leptacantha E.Pritz., Bot. Jahrb. Syst . 35: 296 (1904). Type: Victoria Plains, 29 Aug. 1901, L.Diels 3987 ; iso: PERTH.
[ Acacia genistoides auct. non A.Cunn. ex Benth.: E.G.Pritzel, Bot. Jahrb. Syst . 35: 292 (1904), as to White Peak, Mingenew [ Diels 3246 , PERTH]]
Illustrations
F. von Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec. 1 [pl. 9] (1887), fruiting specimens only (flowering ones are A. oxyclada ); J.H.Maiden, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 53: pl. 12, figs 10–16 (1920); M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 29 (1981).
Representative collections
W.A.: Moresby Ra. on Nanson- Howatharra road, A.M.Ashby 3801 (K, MEL); 4.8 km N of Moora on Geraldton Hwy, B.R.Maslin 3276 (CANB, PERTH); 5 km from Yerecoin towards Bolgart, B.R.Maslin 3385 (BM, PERTH); Junga Dam, 21 km E of Kalbarri, P.G.Wilson 6608 (MEL, 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.
