Acacia bakeri Maiden, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales ser. 2, 10: 337; t. 21 (1895)
Baker’s Wattle , Marblewood , and more
Tree to 40 m high, to 0.9 m d.b.h. Bark grey-brown. Branchlets glabrous. Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, 5–12 cm long, mostly 1.5–3 cm wide, larger on sterile shoots, with slightly undulate margin, thinly coriaceous, glabrous, prominently 2- or 4-nerved per face, with minor nerves forming a distinct reticulum; gland 5–10 mm above pulvinus, sometimes with a connective nerve to the base. Inflorescences racemose; raceme axes 3–6 cm long, glabrous; peduncles in clusters of 2–4, 5–10 mm long, glabrous; heads globular, 10–20-flowered, creamy yellow. Flowers 4-merous; sepals free. Legumes shallowly constricted between seeds, flat, to 20 cm long, c. 12 mm wide, chartaceous, glabrous, reticulate. Seeds longitudinal, oblong to broadly elliptic, flattened, 6–10 mm long, subshiny, dark brown, exarillate.
Extends from the Brunswick R., N.S.W., to near the Burrum R. in the Maryborough district, Qld. Occurs in lowland subtropical rainforest and rainforest margins, in volcanic and alluvial soil. Because of extensive clearing of rainforests the species is possibly in danger of extinction, fide L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 219 (1978).
This is probably the largest species of Acacia in Australia. At the time of its discovery, it was recorded as reaching about 50 m in height, however, it now rarely exceeds 8 m, fide B.A.Lebler, Wildfl. SE Queensland 2: 67 (1981). Its timber is yellowish, hard and close-grained and is suitable for flooring, cabinet work, scantling cases and tool handles.
Unusual in that seeds may begin to germinate before pods fall from the trees, fide B.A.Lebler, loc. cit.
Affinities uncertain but possibly with some relationships to A. binervata and/or the group of species around A. rothii .
Type of accepted name
Mullumbimby, Oct. 1894, R.T.Baker 1258 ; syn: NSW; ?isosyn (‘Sept. 1894’): BM n.v ., E n.v ., K, fide L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 219 (1978); Mullumbimby, Sept. 1894, W.Baeuerlen ; iso: BRI n.v.
Synonymy
Racosperma bakeri (Maiden) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 345 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Acacia striata W.Hill, Cat. Nat. Indust. Prod. Queensland 46 (1873), nom. illeg. , non Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd (1806). Type: ‘... known from McLean Scrub upon the Albert River;’ [Qld]; n.v. Synonymy following L.Pedley (pers. comm.).
Illustrations
J.H.Maiden, Forest Fl. New South Wales 3: t. 111 (1907); B.A.Lebler, Wildfl. SE Queensland 2: 67 (1981); A.G.Floyd, Rainforest Trees SE Australia 210 (1989); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 62, fig. 43, pl. 43 (1992).
Representative collections
Qld: roadside between Buderim and Forest Glenn, J.Moriarty 323 (PERTH). N.S.W.: Brunswick R., near Brunswick Heads, J.O’Hara & R.Coveny 3482 (NSW, 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.
