Acacia ptychophylla F.Muell., J. Proc. Linn. Soc ., Bot. 3: 142 (1859)
Erect, resinous shrub to 1.5 m high. Bark splitting, grey-brown sometimes reddish. Branchlets angular, becoming terete with crenulated resinous ridges. Phyllodes oblong- to narrowly oblong-elliptic, flat, straight, sometimes slightly incurved in lower half or slightly sigmoid, 2–4.5 cm long, 3–10 mm wide, usually with a small callose tip at apex, coriaceous, glabrous, with 6–8 prominent, parallel, rarely anastomosing, longitudinal nerves with resinous coatings, sometimes with obscure minor nerves between them; 1 small basal gland just above or near pulvinus and 1–3 additional, variably spaced glands on the upper margin (sometimes one at apex). Spikes 2–4.5 cm long. Flowers with calyx 0.8–1 mm long, dissected to 2/3–3/4, glabrous; corolla 1.4–1.6 mm long, dissected to c. 1/2, glabrous; ovary densely villous. Pods narrowly elliptic to slightly narrowly oblanceolate, basally narrowed, straight or falcate, 5–7 cm long, woody, obliquely nerved; margins distinct, light brown. Seeds oblique, oblong-elliptic, 4–5 mm long, brown; pleurogram dark; areole open, depressed; funicle-aril turbinate.
An uncommon species with a disjunct distribution in northern Australia; it occurs in the eastern Pilbara and south-eastern Kimberley regions of W.A., and extends just into N.T. where it occurs in the Hooker Creek area. Grows mostly on rocky slopes or sand plains, associated with spinifex, Triodia pungens , communities. Flowers Apr.–July.
Type of accepted name
Sturts [Sturt] Creek, [W.A./N.T.], F.Mueller 80 ; syn: NSW.
Representative collections
W.A.: Tom Price, B.R.Maslin 4665 (CANB, K, PERTH); The Pilbara, near S end of Gorge Ra., Great Northern Hwy, 1.5 miles [2.4 km] S of Coongan R., I.V.Newman 686 (NSW, PERTH); 0.8 km from Balgo Mission, Great Sandy Desert, A.R.Peile 7 (PERTH). N.T.: 15 km N of Hooker Creek [Stn], P.L.Wilson 993 (DNA).
(NSW)
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.
