Acacia bracteolata Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 329–330 (1999)
Spreading shrub to 0.6 m high. Branchlets villous to tomentulose. Stipules 3–4 mm long, scarious. Phyllodes asymmetrically narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, 15–25 mm long, 5–10 mm wide, obtuse, with excentric, normally slightly pungent mucro, coriaceous, appressed-puberulous (at least when young); midrib inconspicuous; lateral nerves indistinct; gland inconspicuous, 2.5–5 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences rudimentary, normally 2-headed racemes with axes less than 0.5 mm long, sometimes growing out following anthesis; peduncles mostly 4–6 mm long, hairy, commonly recurved in fruit; basal bract 2–3 mm long; heads globular to slightly obloid, 4.5–5.5 mm diam., 19–25-flowered, lemon yellow; bracteoles acuminate, brown, exserted in buds. Flowers 4-merous; sepals 2/3–3/4-united. Pods arcuate, to 6 cm long, 6–7 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, minutely subvelvety. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic, c. 4 mm long, dull, black; aril sublateral, clavate, cream.
Confined to an area from Pine Hill at the N end of Cape Arid Natl Park W to 50 km beyond Grass Patch (Grass Patch is c. 70 km N of Esperance), W.A. Grows in sand over clay or calcareous (infrequently granitic) loam, in Mallee woodland or shrubland, sometimes near salt lakes.
Acacia merrallii is similar in phyllode shape and size but differs significantly in having 5-merous flowers, free sepals, semi-terete, arcuate to irregularly coiled, narrower pods and conspicuous, bright orange arils.
Type of accepted name
Scaddan Rd, 11.2 km E of Esperance–Norseman Hwy, W.A., 2 July 1984, P.van der Moezel 373 ; holo: PERTH; iso: K, MEL.
Representative collections
W.A.: Pine Hill, A.S.George 16110 (PERTH); Parmango Rd adjacent to Clyde Hill, B.R.Maslin 5830 (CANB, PERTH); 50 km W of Grass Patch, K.Newbey 9683 (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.
