Acacia eremaea C.R.P.Andrews, J. Western Australia Nat. Hist. Soc. 1: 40 (1904)
Dense shrub or tree to 4 m high. Branchlets terete, ribbed, appressed-puberulous. Phyllodes erect, narrowly elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, straight to slightly incurved, 6–12 cm long, 6–17 mm wide, acuminate, pungent, rigid, glaucous, glabrous, with numerous closely parallel, immersed nerves, of which 3 are typically slightly raised. Inflorescences simple, 2–4 per axil; peduncles 5–17 mm long, appressed-puberulous; heads globular, 5.5–7.5 mm diam., 54–85-flowered, golden. Flowers 4-merous; sepals free. Pods linear, strongly raised over seeds, straight to slightly curved, to 9 cm long, 5–7 mm wide, chartaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, ovate, 5–6 mm long, glossy, brown; funicle ribbon-like; aril not prominent.
Occurs from Boolardy and Cue S towards Wongan Hills, W.A. Grows on clay loam flats and sand, often near salt lakes, in tall Acacia shrubland and low woodland.
Phyllodes similar to A. xiphophylla which is readily distinguished by its spicate inflorescences, gamosepalous calyx and seed characters. Superficially similar to A. galeata .
Type of accepted name
Cue, W.A., July 1903, herb. Cecil Andrews ; holo: NSW; iso: K; ?iso: NSW [sphalm. Aug.], PERTH00750972, 00750964 & 00750557; see B.R.Maslin & R.S.Cowan, Nuytsia 9: 384 (1994), for discussion of types.
Illustrations
M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 2: 147 & pl. 8 (1988).
Representative collections
W.A. Twin Peaks, A.M.Ashby 3293 (NSW, PERTH); 8.2 km SSE of Yalgoo, R.Coveny 7932 & B.R.Maslin (AD, BRI, CANB, K, L, NSW, PERTH, US); Watheroo rabbit fence, M.Koch 1664 (PERTH).
(RSC)