Acacia deanei (R.T.Baker) M.B.Welch, Coombs & McGlynn, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 65: 227 (1932)
Shrub or tree 1.5–7 m high, with a single trunk or usually many-stemmed. Bark smooth, green, grey, brown or brownish purple. Branchlets slightly flattened, acutely angled towards apex, densely appressed-puberulous with grey or yellow hairs to glabrous. Young foliage-tips yellow, golden or rust-coloured, densely puberulous. Leaves coriaceous, dark or light green; petiole above pulvinus 0.4–3 cm long, flattened vertically, densely grey- or golden-puberulous, with a large gland to 5 mm below basal pinnae; rachis (0.7–) 1.5–6.5 cm long, flattened vertically, with depressed, oblong or spherical, grey-puberulous jugary glands at base of all or most pairs of pinnae, often with 1–3 often contiguous, interjugary glands between some or all pairs of pinnae; pinnae (1–) 3–12 pairs, 0.7–6.5 cm long, the lower pairs slightly smaller than others; pinnules (7–) 11–32 (–45) pairs, widely spaced, linear to narrowly oblong, 1–12 mm long, 0.4–1.3 mm wide, with upper surface glabrous or slightly puberulous and lower surface with appressed, golden or white hairs or glabrous, apex broadly rounded or truncate. Inflorescences in axillary racemes, or terminal or axillary false-panicles. Heads yellow to cream-coloured, 15–30-flowered. Pods linear to narrowly oblong, slightly to deeply and often irregularly constricted between seeds , 3.5–18 cm long, 5–12 mm wide, coriaceous, black or dark brown, smooth or slightly rough, with appressed grey, yellow or fawn hairs, later glabrescent.
Widespread in inland southern Qld, central N.S.W. and central Vic. There are 2 subspecies. Acacia deanei subsp. deanei has a more northerly distribution then subsp. paucijuga . Intermediates are very common in N.S.W. where both subspecies are wayside trees or shrubs especially in the Pilliga, Riverina and Central Western Slopes.
Pinnules mostly 1.5–5 mm long, puberulous especially beneath, the upper pinnules mostly obtuse at apex; petiole mostly 0.5–1.5 cm long; corolla usually with golden hairs towards petal-apices or sometimes glabrous; calyx shortly lobed, with ribs of tube hairy or glabrous; rachises with 1 or 2 interjugary glands often between a few pairs of pinnae
subsp. deanei
Pinnules mostly 4–12 mm long, glabrous or with scattered hairs, the upper pinnules mostly truncate at apex; petiole 0.5–3 cm long; corolla glabrous; calyx barely lobed, with tube glabrous; rachises with 1–3 interjugary glands between all or most pairs of pinnae
subsp. paucijuga
Acacia deanei (R.T.Baker) M.B.Welch, Coombs & McGlynn subsp. deanei
Deane’s Wattle
Branchlets densely appressed-puberulous to subglabrous. Leaves: petiole mostly 0.5–1.5 cm long; rachis with 1 or 2 (–3) interjugary glands often present between some pairs of pinnae or sometimes absent; pinnae 3–12 pairs, mostly 1–3.5 cm long; pinnules (1–) 1.5–5 mm long, 0.5–1.1 (–1.3) mm wide, puberulous especially beneath, the upper pinnules mostly obtuse at apex. Calyx shortly lobed, with ribs of tube glabrous or tomentose. Corolla usually golden-puberulous towards apices of petals or sometimes glabrous. 2 n = 26, B.G.Briggs, Contr. New South Wales Nat. Herb . 4: 56 (1966).
Occurs in the drier inland parts of southern Qld as far N as Gregory Springs Stn, widespread in central N.S.W. S to Yanco and W to Louth, rare in Vic. where it is only recorded from Chiltern. Grows on red soil plains, often near watercourses, in gullies or on stony hillsides, in woodland or open forest, in a variety of soils. Flowers throughout the year, especially Mar.–Aug.; fruits mostly Oct.–Feb.
Acacia deanei subsp. deanei , A. glaucocarpa , A. pedleyi and A. storyi are the most northerly occurring species in sect. Botrycephalae .
Type of accepted name
Gilgandra, N.S.W., H.Deane ; not located.
Synonymy
Acacia decurrens var. deanei R.T.Baker, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales ser. 2, 21: 348 (1896); Racosperma deanei (R.T.Baker) Pedley, J. Linn. Soc., Bot . 92: 248 (1986). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
D.A.Morrison & S.J.Davies, in G.J.Harden (ed.), Fl. New South Wales 2: 389, fig. 205a (1991); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 188, fig. 216a- f; pl. 216a (1992).
Representative collections
Qld: 8.1 km S of Warwick, S.L.Everist & L.J.Webb 1256 (BRI, NSW); 74 km N of Goondiwindi towards Moonie, M.D.Tindale 678 (BRI, NSW). N.S.W.: Pilliga Scrub, Kenebri, 7 Mar. 1957, E.F.Constable s.n. (BM, K, L, NSW, US); 3.2 km W of Caragabel, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW63768); 8.1 km W of West Wyalong, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW63795). Vic.: Midlands, Chiltern Regional Park, c. 5 km N of Chiltern, Mt Pleasant road, E.Collins 3 & S.Jessup (MEL n.v.).
Acacia deanei subsp. paucijuga (F.Muell. ex N.A.Wakef.) Tindale, Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb . 4: 56 (1966)
Branchlets appressed-puberulous to glabrous. Leaves: petiole 0.5–3 cm long; rachis with 1–3 interjugary glands between most or all pairs of pinnae; pinnae 1–8 or more pairs (often only 1–4 pairs with petiole length longer relative to rachis length than in subsp. deanei ), 1.5–6.5 cm long; pinnules mostly 4–12 mm long, 0.4–1 mm wide, glabrous or with scattered hairs, the upper pinnules mostly truncate at apex. Calyx barely lobed, with tube glabrous. Corolla glabrous. 2 n = 26, 3 n = 39, B.G.Briggs, Contr. New South Wales Nat. Herb . 4: 56 (1966).
Occurs in N.S.W. on the plains, slopes and tablelands (N to Lightning Ridge, W to Rankins Springs), and S to central Vic.; common in the Snowy R. Valley S to Weddenburn. Grows on red soil plains, dry stony hillsides, rocky gorges and valley floors, in sandy or gravelly clay soils. Flowers throughout the year; fruits Oct.–Mar., sometimes till May.
Type of accepted name
In virgultis planitierum steriliorum ad flumen Broken River, [Vic.], gregaria, [Feb. 1853], Dr. M.(= von Mueller) ; lecto: MEL, fide N.A.Wakefield, loc. cit.
Synonymy
Acacia decurrens var. paucijuga F.Muell. & Maiden, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales ser. 2, 8: 15 (1893), nom. nud .; A. paucijuga F.Muell. ex N.A.Wakef., Victorian Naturalist 72: 93 (1955). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
D.A.Morrison & S.J.Davies, in G.J.Harden (ed.), Fl. New South Wales 2: 389, fig. 205b (1991); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 189, fig. 216g- k; pl. 216b (1992).
Representative collections
N.S.W.: 9.5 km NE of Rankin Springs, R.G.Coveny 12027 & P.Hind (A, B, MO, NSW, NY, PERTH, Z); 4.8 km E of Weethalle, M.D.Tindale s.n. (NSW63792). Vic.: Suggan Buggan, E Gippsland, N.A.Wakefield 4805 (MEL, NSW); Snowy R., 9 km due S from Willis, N.G.Walsh 3452 (MEL, MO, NSW); Melville Caves, off Kingower–Wedderburn road, K.L.Wilson 1045 & L.A.S.Johnson (MEL, NSW).
(MDT & PGK)