Acacia cardiophylla A.Cunn. ex Benth., Lond. J. Bot 1: 385 (1842)
Flat-topped shrub or tree 1–3.3 m high, many-stemmed. Bark smooth, grey or mottled with brown. Branchlets terete or obscurely angled, pruinose, with spreading stiff, cream-coloured hairs, or glabrous. Young foliage-tips cream-coloured. Leaves subcoriaceous, pale green, subsessile with basal pinnae arising immediately or to 2 mm above pulvinus, with a small orbicular gland at insertion of basal pair of pinnae; rachis 1–6 cm long, with minute, orbicular jugary glands often inconspicuous or missing from some pairs of pinnae; pinnae (3–) 8–19 pairs, (0.2–) 0.5–1.2 cm long, lower pairs shorter than others; pinnules 4–14 pairs, narrowly ovate, orbicular or oblong, 0.8–2 mm long, 0.5–1 (–1.3) mm wide, hispidulous especially below and on margins, the base obliquely subcordate, the apex obtuse, broadly rounded or subacute. Inflorescences in axillary racemes, or axillary or terminal false-panicles; axis zig-zagged. Heads 3–5 mm diam., 16–32-flowered, golden. Pods 1.5–11.5 cm long, 4–6.5 mm wide, subcoriaceous, blue-black or dark brown, paler between seeds, with stiff, silver hairs. 2 n = 26, C.Hamant et al ., Taxon 24: 669 (1975).
Occurs on the Central and South Western Slopes and near L. Cargellico, South Western Plains, N.S.W. Grows in mallee communities, on open plains, foothills or ridges, especially in moist situations and on stream banks, in red sandy loams or gravelly clays. Flowers Aug.–Nov.; fruits Oct.–Feb.
One of the most decorative species in sect. Botrycephalae in cultivation.
Type of accepted name
Interior of N.S.W., N of Macquarie River, A.Cunningham ; holo: K.
Illustrations
M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 1: 301 (1987); D.A.Morrison & S.J.Davies, in G.J.Harden (ed.), Fl. New South Wales 2: 387 (1991).
Representative collections
N.S.W.: 6 mile peg W of West Wyalong, E.F.Constable 7274 (NSW, TL); 5 miles [8.1 km] W of West Wyalong, 14 June 1967, M.D.Tindale s.n. & J.Lanyon (AD, CANB, E, K, NSW, US, Z) and M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW63781).
(MDT & PGK)
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.
