Acacia kybeanensis Maiden & Blakely, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 60: 188; pl. 17, figs 1–6 (1927)
Kybeyan (or Kybean ) Wattle
Dense shrub 1–2.5 m high. Branchlets tomentulose to densely appressed puberulous. Phyllodes occasionally deflexed, slightly asymmetric, oblong-elliptic to narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 1–5 cm long, 3–6 mm wide, grey-green to glaucous, glabrous or sometimes sparsely appressed-puberulous, 1-nerved per face; lateral nerves obscure or absent; gland not prominent, 1–15 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences 4–10-headed racemes; raceme axes 1–4 cm long, usually densely hairy; peduncles 1–3 mm long, usually densely appressed-hairy; heads globular, subdensely 8–15-flowered, bright golden; bracteoles widely ovate to subcircular, dark brown to black. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united, brown; petals 1-nerved; ovary glabrous. Pods stipitate, oblong to narrowly oblong, raised over seeds along midline, to 6 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, firmly chartaceous, blackish, slightly to moderately pruinose, glabrous. Seeds mostly transverse to oblique, elliptic to widely elliptic, c. 4 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, arillate.
Discontinuous in SE Australia occurring in the Blue Mtns (E of Sydney), Kybean Ra. and Nimmo (near L. Eucumbene), N.S.W., and from Freestone Ck (NW of Suggan Buggan) to the Gelantipy area, Vic. Usually grows in Eucalyptus woodland or forest on rocky slopes, commonly at c. 1000 m alt.
The marked variation in phyllode length indicates the need for further studies to ascertain whether the species, as circumscribed here, comprises more than one taxon. On specimens from N.S.W. (including the type of A. kybeanensis and A. oreades ) the phyllodes are normally 1–3 cm long, whereas in Vic. they are mostly 2.5–5 cm long. The long phyllode variants may resemble A. kettlewelliae but are most readily distinguished by their terete, densely hairy branchlets, densely hairy peduncles and raceme axes, and less prominent glands which are not, or scarcely, swollen within the lamina of the phyllode.
Deflexed phyllodes, which occasionally occur in the long phyllode variant, are sometimes also seen in A. boormanii .
One specimen from Kybeyan Ra. has atypically sparsely hairy branchlets (e.g. Wadbilliga fire trail between Tuross R. and Bumberry Ck, R.Coveny 6604 et al. , A n.v ., B n.v ., BRI n.v ., CANB, E n.v ., K n.v ., L n.v ., MEL, NSW, P n.v ., RSA n.v ., TNS n.v ., UC n.v ., US n.v ., Z n.v. ). It appears to approach the short phyllode forms of A. kettlewelliae but is distinguished by the presence of an indumentum and less prominent gland. It is possible that this variant is part of a hybrid swarm between A. kybeanensis and A. kettlewelliae ; both putative parents occur in the Kybeyan Ra.
Type of accepted name
In valley, head of Tuross R., Kybeyan [sphalm. ‘Kybean’], N.S.W., R.H.Cambage 2000 ; holo: NSW; iso: K, MEL; ?iso: CANB, specimen dated 4 Nov. 1908 but without a collecting number.
Synonymy
Acacia oreades Maiden & Blakely, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 60: 186, t. 17, figs 12–18 (1927). Type: Clarence to Wolgan, N.S.W., Aug. 1906, R.H.Cambage 1559 ; syn: NSW; isosyn: K; Clarence to Wolgan, N.S.W., Dec. 1906, H.Deane ; syn: NSW.
Acacia buxifolia var. subvelutina F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot . 3: 128 (1859). Type: Freestone R. [probably Freestone Ck, c. 20 km NW of Suggan Buggan], Vic., Feb. 1854, F.Mueller s.n .; probable holo: MEL1500453.
Illustrations
J.H.Maiden & W.F.Blakely, loc. cit. ; M.D.Tindale, Telopea 1: 436, pl. 20k- l (1980), gland; L.F.Costermans, Native Trees & Shrubs SE Australia 313 (1981); T.Tame, Acacias SE Australia 168, fig. 190, pl. 190 (1992).
Representative collections
N.S.W.: 37 km by road N of Clarence, E.F.Constable s.n. (NSW108538); head of Tuross R., Kydra Peak, 20 Oct. 1948, J.H.Willis (NSW). Vic.: head of Boundary Ck, between Gelantipy and Wulgulmerang, 23 Apr. 1957, J.H.Willis s.n . (MEL).
(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.
