Acacia incrassata Hook., Icon. Pl. 4: t. 370 (1841)
Subshrub 15–30 cm high, spreading by subterranean runners. Branchlets prominently ribbed, normally appressed-puberulous, the hairs sometimes sparse and mostly confined to ribs. Stipules indurate, sometimes spinose, 1.5–3 mm long. Phyllodes inequilateral, usually obtriangular to obdeltate with a prominent gland-bearing angle on adaxial margin above the middle, obliquely truncate, with adaxial proximal margin often congruent with branchlet, 5–12 mm long, 4–10 mm wide, undulate, pungent, often slightly shiny, glabrous to sparsely puberulous; midrib prominent and near abaxial margin. Inflorescences apparently simple, normally 1 per axil; peduncles 4–8 mm long, appressed-puberulous, sometimes subglabrous; heads globular, usually 6–9-flowered, golden; bracteoles acuminate; buds abruptly constricted at apices, acute. Flowers 4-merous; sepals 1/2–3/4-united, with triangular lobes. Pods narrowly oblong, shallowly curved, to 5 cm long, 4–5 mm wide, crustaceous, glabrous; margins thickened. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-ovate, shiny, greenish grey; aril small.
Occurs in south-western W.A. from the Mt Lesueur area S to Kalamunda and also presumably from Serpentine (syntype of A. vernicosa , n.v. ); a variant occurs near Watheroo. Grows in lateritic loam in Wandoo ( Eucalyptus wandoo ) woodland or in sand or loamy gravel in low heath.
A specimen from 11.1 km N of Watheroo ( R.J.Cumming 1619 , PERTH) is atypical in its larger than normal, 15–18-flowered heads and its unusually shaped phyllodes with the gland-angle below the middle.
Recognised by its dwarf habit, ribbed, hairy branchlets, phyllode shape, golden heads of normally 6–9 flowers and acuminate bracteoles. Possibly most closely related to A. chrysocephala , a member of the ‘ A. biflora group’.
Type of accepted name
Swan R., W.A., J.Drummond ; lecto: K, fide B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 2: 308 (1978); isolecto: K.
Synonymy
Acacia decipiens var. incrassata (Hook.) Benth., London J. Bot. 1: 330 (1842). Type: as for accepted name.
Acacia vernicosa W.Fitzg., J. Western Australia Nat. Hist. Soc . 2 (1): 11 (1904). Type: Midland Junction, W.A., July 1901, W.V.Fitzgerald s.n .; lecto (flowering specimen): PERTH00775339, fide B.R.Maslin & R.S.Cowan, Nuytsia 9: 393 (1994); isolecto: K (sphalm. ‘1903’), NSW, PERTH00775320; Midland Junction, W.A., Oct. 1901, W.V.Fitzgerald s.n .; paralecto (fruiting specimen): NSW; Serpentine, W.A., Aug. 1902, W.V.Fitzgerald s.n .; paralecto (flowering specimen): NSW.
[ Acacia biflora auct. non R.Br.: Paxton’s Mag. Bot. 8: 44 (1841) and 9: t. 221 (1842)]
[ Acacia decipiens var. elongata auct. non Benth.: C.D.F.Meisner, in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss . 1: 9 (1844)].
[ Acacia decipiens auct. non (K.D.Koenig) R.Br.: G.Bentham, Fl. Austral. 2: 351 (1864) p.p. , as to J.Drummond 296 (BM, G, K, MEL, OXF, P, W) and L.Preiss 955 (C, FI, G, GOET, HBG, K, LUND, M, MEL, MO, MPU, NY, P, STR, W)]
Illustrations
W.J.Hooker, loc. cit. ; J.Paxton, loc. cit .; B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 2: 310, fig. 15 (1978).
Representative collections
W.A.: 1.5 km NW of Mt Lesueur, E.A.Griffin 1964 (PERTH); Reserve no. 35499, SE of Eneabba, E.A.Griffin 3159 (PERTH); Kalamunda, R. & M.Hamilton 120 (PERTH); 6.8 km N of Mogumber on road to Moora, B.R.Maslin 4489 (MEXU, 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.
