Acacia amoena H.L.Wendl., Comm. Acac. Aphyll. 4, 16, t. 4 (1820)
Boomerang Wattle
Shapely shrub 1–4 m high. Branchlets red-brown, glabrous. Phyllodes on raised stem-projections, mostly inclined to ascending, mostly oblanceolate, 3–8 cm long, 5–17 mm wide, obtuse or acute, mucronulate, glabrous, with prominent and slightly excentric midrib, indistinctly penninerved; glands normally exserted, 2–4, the lowermost 3–10 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences 6–21-headed racemes; raceme axes 1–6.5 cm long, glabrous; peduncles 2–4 mm long, slender, glabrous; heads globular, 6–12-flowered, bright golden; bracteoles dark brown, evident in buds. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free to c. 1/2-united. Pods linear, shallowly constricted between seeds, to 9 cm long, 5–6 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, dark brown to black, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong to elliptic or ovate, 3.5–5 mm long, slightly shiny, black; funicle encircling seed in a single or sometimes double fold, pale red-brown; aril clavate.
Discontinuous in the Great Divide from the Apsley R., N.S.W., S to upper reaches of the Snowy R., north-eastern Vic. Records of this species from Qld are erroneous, being based on a misidentification of A. myrtifolia , fide L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 258 (1980). Grows in tableland areas of moderate elevation, on rocky slopes and along watercourses, in low open forest.
A member of the ‘ Acacia microbotrya group’ closely related to A. kydrensis . It is similar to A. chalkeri , with which it is sometimes sympatric, and to small phyllode forms of A. rubida , but distinguished by its phyllodes with 2–4 prominent glands. Some forms of A. semirigida (Qld) have similar phyllodes and glands but are distinguished especially by their paler coloured, more numerous flowered heads, broader pods, and seeds with short funicles. May also superficially resemble the more northerly distributed A. buxifolia subsp. pubiflora .
Type of accepted name
‘Habitat in Nova Hollandia [Australia]’: holo: GOET—without details except specimen folder is annotated by H.L.Wendland ‘Acacia amoena Wendl. fil.’
Illustrations
L.F.Costermans, Native Trees & Shrubs SE Australia 314 (1981); M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 155 (1981); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 163, fig. 183, pl. 183 (1992).
Representative collections
N.S.W.: Apsley Falls, c. 19.2 km E of Walcha, R. Coveny 2290 (NSW, PERTH); 18 km NE of Taralga, Wombeyan Caves, C.Tyrrel 101 & H.Streimann (CANB). Vic.: Snowy R., 1 km downstream of Gattamurh ford, H.van Rees 042 (MEL).
(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.
