Acacia dallachiana F.Muell., Fragm . 1: 7 (1858); J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 3: 138 (1859)
Catkin Wattle
Tree to 15 m high. Stipules caducous or absent. Phyllodes linear, narrowly lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, commonly falcate, 8–18 cm long, 1–3.5 cm wide, tapering, blunt, grey or blue-green, with 2–4 primary veins, the secondary veins somewhat obscure, forming numerous anastomoses; gland small, 7–15 mm above phyllode axil; pulvinus present. Spikes 1–several together, to 6 cm long, sessile or almost so, often curved; bracteoles peltate with shield-like lamina, 1–1.5 mm long, 1–1.3 mm wide. Flowers densely packed, 4-merous; sepals united. Pods moniliform, mostly straight, c. 6–15 cm long and 2–5 mm wide, papery, glaucous, waxy. Seeds elliptic, 4 mm long, dull; funicle folded several times; aril cupular.
Restricted to subalpine and montane forests of southern N.S.W. and north-eastern Vic. where known only from the vicinity of Khancoban in N.S.W., the Buffalo Ra., the slopes of Mt Bogong and Sassafras Gap, all in Vic. Flowers Sept.–Dec. and occasionally as late as March. Fruits Oct.–Jan.
A distinctive plant distinguished from A. longifolia by its wider and commonly glaucous phyllodes and stems, falcate phyllodes and long spikes of very densely packed flowers. It appears to have no close relatives.
Based on field observations it appears that A. dallachiana hybridizes with A. phlebophylla near Manfield in the Buffalo NP, Vic. (see N.G.Walsh 5162, MEL). Hybrid plants are rare and sterile, and occur in populations with both putative parents.
Type of accepted name
Eastern top of Buffalo Ra., Vic., 5 Mar 1853, F.Mueller s.n. ; lecto: MEL 30003, fide A.B.Court (to be published in Appendix to Fl. Australia vol. 11, 2001).
Illustrations
F.Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acac. dec. 9 [pl. 4] (1888); L.F.Costermans, Native Trees Shrubs SE Australia 305 (1981); M.H.Simmons, Acacias Australia 2: 263 (1988); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 39, pl. 14 (1992).
Representative collections
N.S.W.: 19 km ESE of Khancoban, R.Coveny 5401 (BRI, MEL, NSW). Vic.: near Bogong Village, Sept. 1977, G.Fraser-Harvey s.n. (NSW); 1.6 km N of Sassafras Gap, 16 Nov. 1964, J.H.Willis s.n. (CANB, MEL).
(ABC)
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.
