Acacia errabunda Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 345–346 (1999)
Spreading, rather dense, glabrous shrub 1–2.5 m high. New shoots, phyllode nerves and bracteoles commonly mealy. Phyllodes oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, straight to shallowly incurved, usually 2–5 cm long, 3–8 mm wide, obtuse-mucronulate or acute, thin, green or subglaucous, 1- or 2-nerved per face; midrib near abaxial margin (infrequently central); adaxial margin 2-nerved; minor nerves anastomosing to form an open, longitudinal reticulum; gland not prominent, 0–2 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences simple, mostly 2 per axil; peduncles c. 2 mm long, obscured by stamens at anthesis; basal bract persistent; heads globular, 17–22-flowered, light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united to near apex. Pods linear, shallowly curved, to 9 cm long, 3.5 mm wide, firmly chartaceous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, 4 mm long, shiny, dark brown; aril terminal, orange-brown when dry.
Occurs near Broomehill (c. 20 km due SSE of Katanning), Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe, south-western W.A. Grows on loam and clay, in woodland, Mallee communities and Acacia shrubland.
One specimen from S of Ravensthorpe ( K.Newbey 940 , PERTH) has atypically long phyllodes (to 9 cm).
Appears most closely related to A. stricta which is widespread in eastern Australia and distinguished especially by its often paler coloured heads 20–38-flowered, peduncles 2–5 mm long, phyllodes 3.5–14 cm x 3–15 mm, midrib central, adaxial margin 1-nerved and numerous, fine lateral nerves which form an obliquely orientated (relative to the midrib) close reticulum. The adaxial margin of phyllodes in A. errabunda is 2-nerved and these nerves are sometimes clearly intra-marginal so that the phyllodes appear to be 2-nerved per face.
Type of accepted name
4 km E of Needilup, W.A., 27 Aug. 1975, K.Newbey 4765 ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL.
Representative collections
W.A.: 8 km S of Ravensthorpe towards Hopetoun, B.R.Maslin 2565 (CANB, K, MEL, NY, PERTH); 17.7 km SE of Jerramungup, K.Newbey 1299 (BRI, NSW, NY, PERTH); 1.6 km E of Broomehill, K.Newbey 3434 (G, 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.
