Acacia asepala Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 321–322 (1999)
Diffuse shrub 0.5–1.5 m high. Branchlets red-brown at extremities, ageing light grey, glabrous. Stipules caducous, minute, c. 0.2 mm long. Phyllodes on short stem-projections, sessile, patent, acicular, drying pentagonal-terete, 10–25 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, pungent, rigid, thick, smooth, glabrous, subglaucous except nerves yellow, 5-nerved; gland 2–4 mm above base. Inflorescences rudimentary 1- or 2-headed racemes with axes <0.5 mm long; peduncles 2 mm long, glabrous; basal bract 2–3 mm long, brown and enclosing buds, patent or recurved from base in fruit; heads globular, small, 10-flowered, golden; bracteoles absent. Flowers 5-merous; sepals absent. Pods (slightly immature) narrowly oblong, shallowly sigmoid or shallowly curved to circinnate, flat, 1–4 cm long, 5- 8 mm wide, thinly coriaceous-crustaceous, greyish, glabrous; margins thickened. Seeds (slightly immature) oblique, obovate, 3 mm long, brown; aril narrowly clavate, extending 1/2 to wholly down one side of the seed.
Known only from Marvel Loch, Frank Hann Natl Park and near Forrestonia, W.A. Grows in loam or sandy loam in low Eucalyptus woodland.
Unusual in lacking calyx and bracteoles. Similar in its branchlets and phyllodes to A. calcarata which has much longer, persistent stipules, longer peduncles, heads with bracteoles and more flowers, as well as gamosepalous calyx. Phyllodes resemble those of A. colletioides which has prominently 8-nerved phyllodes with evident stomata.
Type of accepted name
Frank Hann Natl Park, 70 km by road E of Lake King store towards Peak Charles, W.A., 13 Aug. 1985, B.R.Maslin 5784 ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, NY.
Representative collection
W.A.: 6 km SE of Marvel Loch, K.Newbey 5817 (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.
