Acacia imitans Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 356 (1999)
Dense, intricate, low-domed, semi-prostrate, spreading shrub 0.3–1 m high, to 3 m across. Branches grey, glabrous, dividing into numerous, short, straight, rigid, divaricate, spinescent branchlets often devoid of phyllodes. Phyllodes asymmetric, arcuate-oblong or widely elliptic, with upper margin straight to shallowly concave and lower margin markedly convex, some reflexed, 3.5–7 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, obtuse, excentrically mucronate with upturned mucro, subglaucous, glabrous; midrib slightly raised; lateral nerves ascending and anastomosing near margins. Inflorescences simple or sometimes a rudimentary 1-headed raceme inserted with vegetative bud on a common axis <0.5 mm long; peduncles 3–4 mm long, glabrous or antrorsely appressed-puberulous; heads obloid to shortly cylindrical, 6–8 mm long, 4–5 mm diam., presumably golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals 1/2- 3/4 united. Pods tightly coiled as in Medicago , to 7 mm long (unexpanded), with valves 3 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to ovoid, 3 mm long, dull, dark brown; aril minute, subterminal.
Known only from the type locality and Mount Gibson Stn, south-western W.A. Grows in rocky red loam on slopes in tall shrubland.
Related to and partially sympatric with A. kochii .
Type of accepted name
Ninghan Stn [precise locality withheld for conservation reasons], W.A., 21 Aug. 1985, B.H.Smith 613 ; holo: PERTH.
Representative collections
W.A.: type locality, B.R.Maslin 4239 (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH); 3.5 km N of Mount Gibson HS, B.R. Maslin 6654 (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.
