Acacia homaloclada F.Muell., Fragm . 11: 34 (1878)
Spindly, glabrous shrub to 5 m high. New shoots pink. Branchlets flattened towards extremities. Phyllodes lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 6–10 (–12) cm long, 9–15 (–20) mm wide, acute or obtuse, thin, with 3 prominent, longitudinal main nerves, the minor nerves few, inconspicouus and sparingly longitudinally anastomosing; gland prominent, 2–6 mm above base. Inflorescences simple or rudimentary racemes with axes c. 1 mm long, 2–5 per axil; peduncles 8–15 mm long; basal bract persistent; heads globular, 20–30-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods flat, alternately rounded over seeds and scarsely constricted between them, to 10 cm long, 8–10 mm wide, coriaceous, pruinose; margins thickened. Seeds longitudinal, subcircular, subflat, 4–5 mm long, dull, black; funicle/aril 1/2–3/4 encircling seed, dark coloured.
An uncommon species from Hinchinbrook Is. and nearby coastal area near Ingham, Qld. Grows in sandy soil mainly along streams in eucalypt woodland. It appears as though this species flowers around Nov.- Dec.
Related to A. complanata which is most readily distinguished by its phyllodes with 7–9 main longitudinal nerves and heads 35–45 (–60)-flowered. Acacia homaloclada has similar phyllodes and flowers to those of A. racospermoides .
Type of accepted name
Hinchinbrook Is., Qld, 8 and 13 Nov. 1867, J.Dallachy ; syn: MEL n.v ., fide L.Pedley, Austrobaileya 1: 214 (1978); probable syn: NSW.
Synonymy
Racosperma homalocladum (F.Muell.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 350 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustration
F. von Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acac ., dec. 8 [pl. 5] (1888).
Representative collections
Qld: 15 km N of Ingham, L.Pedley 2600 (A, BISH, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, MEXU); Zoe Bay, Hinchinbrook Is., J.G.Tracey 15484 (BRI).
(RSC & 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.
