Acacia pachycarpa F.Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Austral. 2: 408 (1864)
Shrubby tree 3–6 m high with weeping habit. Branchlets glabrous. Phyllodes broadly linear to very narrowly elliptic, falcate, 13–34 cm long, 6–20 mm wide, acuminate to caudate-acuminate, coriaceous, glabrous or appressed-puberulous (especially when young), with 1–5 distant main nerves, the minor nerves obscure, numerous, and normally longitudinally anastomosing. Inflorescences simple, 1 or 2 per axil; peduncles 2–22 mm long, glabrous; spikes 3–6 cm long, 1 cm diam., interrupted, cream. Flowers 5-merous, large (3 mm long); sepals united, the calyx truncate. Pods narrowly oblong, biconvex, to 15 cm long and 2 cm wide, woody, finely longitudinally wrinkled, shiny, yellowish brown, glabrous. Seeds transverse, broadly elliptic, 5–9 mm long, dull, brown, not obviously arillate.
Distributed mainly in the Tanami Desert region, W.A. and adjacent west-central N.T. where it often forms single-species communities; scattered populations occur W near Telfer Mining Centre and Minderoo Stn (near Onslow), W.A. Grows commonly along drainage lines in clay depressions and clay pans but also in sandy alluvium along creeks and in sandy loam.
Useful as a fodder and has potential as an ornamental in arid areas but the latter use is limited by the foetid, ‘gidgee’-like odour of the vegetative parts and the flowers, similar to that of A. cambagei and A. georginae .
Possibly related to A. cuthbertsonii .
Type of accepted name
Sturt Ck, W.A./N.T., Mar. 1856, F.Mueller 89 ; lecto: MEL (fruiting specimens), fide L.Pedley, Contrib. Queensland Herb. 15: 13 (1974); isolecto: K; probable isolecto: NSW. Paralectotypes: see A. ancistrocarpa .
Synonymy
Acacia pachycarpa F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot . 3: 139 (1859), in syn.
Acacia crassifrugis Tindale & Maconochie, Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 4: 267 (1972). Type: 28 miles [45.1 km] W of Mongrel Downs HS, N.T., 20 Apr. 1971, J.R.Maconochie 983 ; holo: NSW; iso: AD, BRI, CANB, DNA, K, MEL, PERTH.
Illustrations
F. von Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec. 12 [pl. 1], figs 9–13 (1888); J.W.Turnbull (ed.), Multipurpose Austral. Trees & Shrubs 179 (1986).
Representative collections
W.A.: c. 40 km S Telfer Mining Centre on track to Rudall R., E.M.Goble-Garratt 111 (BRI, PERTH); Minderoo Stn, near Onslow, A.A.Mitchell 729 (BRI, PERTH). N.T./W.A.: Sturt Ck, F.Mueller 7 (K, MEL) & 92 (K, MEL). N.T.: 40 km W of Supplejack HS, P.K.Latz 8122 (AD, BRI n.v. , CANB n.v. , DNA n.v. , NSW, NT n.v. , PERTH); swamp S of Tanami, J.R.Maconochie 2457 (AD n.v. , CANB n.v. , DNA n.v. , NT n.v. , PERTH).
(BRM & RSC)
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.
