Acacia redolens Maslin, Nuytsia 1: 327; 328, fig. 8 & 330, fig. 9 (1974)
Spreading, low-domed, fragrant (vanilla scented) shrub 0.5–2 m high, sometimes tree 5–10 m high. Branchlets resin-ribbed, hoary around phyllode bases and often between ribs. Phyllodes normally oblanceolate to narrowly oblong-oblanceolate and obtuse, straight to shallowly incurved, 2.5–7 cm long, usually 5–13 mm wide, green, grey-green or glaucous, glabrous except appressed-puberulous at base, with many prominent, distant, resinous nerves and reticulate or not inbetween, 3- or 4-nerved on very narrow phyllodes; gland at distal end of pulvinus. Inflorescences 2–6-headed racemes; raceme axes usually 2.5–10 mm long, normally tomentose or appressed-puberulous and resinous; peduncles 2–5.5 mm long, with indumentum as on raceme axes; heads globular, 3–5 mm diam., densely 20–30-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods narrowly linear, arcuate, to 6 cm long, 2–3.5 mm wide, thinly coriaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, narrowly elliptic-oblong, 3.5–4 mm long, glossy, dark brown; aril cream-white.
Occurs mainly from Ongerup E to near Ravensthorpe but also found near Newdegate, Pingrup and in Scaddan- Salmon Gums- Kau Rock area, south-western W.A. Found in slightly saline or alkaline loam, clay or clay loam, often with Salmon Gums ( Eucalyptus salmonophloia ) or Stocking Gum ( E. kondinensis ) and frequently around margins of salt lakes.
Specimens with unusually narrow (1.5–3 mm wide), linear phyllodes occur around Pingrup (e.g. W.E.Blackall 3034 , PERTH). Phyllodes on plants from N and NE of Esperance are similarly narrow, in addition to being +/- uncinate (e.g. B.R. Maslin 7980, PERTH); these plants develop into small trees and their taxonomic status needs to be reassessed. Racemes on cultivated specimens can reach 20 mm long.
Very closely related to A. trineura from eastern Australia which has straight pods and dark green phyllodes with generally fewer longitudinal nerves of which only 1–3 extend to the apical point (many nerves extending to the apex in A. redolens ). Superficially similar to A. cyclops which is most readily distinguished by its larger flower-heads, pods and seeds; the seeds with a distinctive encircling red or orange funicle/aril. Also similar to A. warramaba .
The A. ixiophylla referred to by B.R.Maslin in the protologue of A. redolens was subsequently described as A. verricula .
The species has been utilised in the U.S.A. for median strip planting and for reclamation of degraded sites; it is also grown very well in windy coastal situations under extreme conditions, fide B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 1: 327 (1974)
Type of accepted name
1 mile [1.6 km] E of Ongerup, W.A., 16 Sept. 1963, K.Newbey 387D ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, NY, PERTH.
Illustrations
B.R.Maslin, op. cit . 328, fig. 8.
Representative collections
W.A.: 1.6 km E of Kau Rock, T.E.H.Aplin 4058 (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH); 9.6 km E of Ravensthorpe towards Esperance, B.R.Maslin 2573 (CANB, K, L, MEL, PERTH); 1.6 km W of L. Bryde, K.Newbey 3675 (PERTH); c. 10 km W of Fitzgerald R. near S coast, P.G.Wilson 10151 (PERTH).
(RSC & 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.
