Acacia abbatiana Pedley, Austrobaileya 5(2): 313 (1999)
Shrubs to c. 4 m tall; bark lamellated (described by collector as ‘fibrous’). Branchlets glabrous. Phyllodes linear, (7–) 9.5–15 cm long, 1.6–3 mm wide, straight, glabrous, with numerous parallel non-anastomosing longitudinal nerves. Spikes 2 or 3 on rudimentary racemes, obloid to cylindrical, 8–9 mm long; peduncles 1–2 mm long. Flowers 5-merous; calyx gamosepalous, cupular, membranous, invested with rather dense arachnoid hairs; petals 1.3–1.5 mm long. Pods to 35 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, pale brown, marginal nerves thick. Seeds longitudinal 2.4–3.2 mm long, 1.3–1.4 mm wide; funicle thickened into a small aril capping the seed.
The species is confined to Mt Abbot, Qld, where it occurs in heathland on rather steep slopes on skeletal soils derived from granite.
Acacia abbatiana is closely related to A. granitica , and was recorded as such by A.R.Bean, Proc. Roy. Soc. Qd 104: 43–66 (1994), but differs in having lamellated bark, somewhat shorter phyllodes, slender spikes on rudimentary racemes, smaller flowers, calyx with rather dense arachnoid hairs and shorter pods with smaller seeds.
Type of accepted name
South Kennedy District: Mt Abbot, 50 km W of Bowen, Qld, 2006’S 14746’E, alt. 800 m, 2 Aug. 1992, A.R.Bean 4873; holo: BRI; iso (n.v.): AD, BISH, HO, K, L, MEL, MO, NSW).
Synonymy
Acacia sp. (Mt Abbot A.R.Bean 4873), L.Pedley (1997) Mimosaceae. In R.J.F.Henderson (ed.), Queensland Plants: Names and Distribution (Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage: Brisbane.).
Representative collection
Qld: Mt Abbot, 2006’S 14746’E, alt. 800m, Oct 1992, A.R.Bean 5196 (BRI).
(LP & BRM)
This species was not included in the Fl. Australia treatment of Acacia ; the above account, which is based on the original description, was provided for use in WATTLE by L.Pedley.
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.
