Acacia aculeiformis Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 317 (1999)
Prostrate, intricate shrub forming mats to 2 m across. Branchlet ribs muriculate-scabridulous. New shoots red. Stipules spinose, recurved, 2.5–4 mm long, brittle with sometimes only bases persisting. Phyllodes dimidiately elliptic to narrowly elliptic or obovate to oblanceolate, 10–25 mm long, 5–10 mm wide, slightly undulate, pungent with slender cusp, green or subglaucous, glabrous or subglabrous except margins muriculate-scabridulous; midrib near abaxial margin; lateral nerves few and obscure. Inflorescences rudimentary, normally 1-headed racemes with axes 0.5–1 mm long which sometimes grows out; peduncles 6–17 mm long, sometimes red, glabrous or finely and minutely hirsutellous with patent or appressed hairs; bract sometimes present above middle; heads globular or slightly obloid, normally 27–39-flowered, light golden to mid-golden; buds red. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods and seeds not seen.
Scattered from Mogumber (c. 20 km SW of New Norcia) N to near Three Springs, south-western W.A. The specimen collected by C.A.Gardner from W of Koorda (Koorda is c. 125 km ENE of New Norcia) may be the easternmost record. Grows on laterite hills in Wandoo ( Eucalyptus wandoo ) woodland. Flowers Aug.- Jan.
Probably related to A. congesta which has a more erect habit and lacks the red flower buds, new shoots and peduncles, and muriculate-scabridulous branchlet ribs and phyllode margins of A. aculeiformis . Sometimes confused with A. semicircinalis which has non-spinose stipules and differently shaped phyllodes.
Type of accepted name
10.5 km N of Three Springs, W.A., 22 Nov. 1983, B.R.Maslin 5491 ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, NY, PERTH.
Representative collections
W.A.: 8 km E of Three Springs, Oct. 1972, C.Chapman s.n. (AD, NSW, PERTH); W of Koorda, Jan. 1940, C.A.Gardner s.n . (PERTH); c. 5 km due NNW of Mogumber, B.R.Maslin 4180 (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.
