Acacia rhamphophylla Maslin, Nuytsia 12: 389 (1999)
Spreading, open subshrub 0.2–0.4 m high. Stems slender, dark grey. Branchlets densely pubescent. Stipules setaceous, 5–7 mm long, recurved. Phyllodes crowded, linear, 11–17 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, narrowed at base, excentrically rostellate, dark green, glabrous but pulvinus pubescent adaxially; midrib near abaxial margin and prominently raised, the 2-nerved adaxial margin thick and nerve-like. Inflorescences rudimentary, 1-headed racemes with axes <0.5 mm long; peduncles 8–13 mm long, glabrous, recurved in fruit; basal bract cucullate-navicular; heads globular, 2.5–3 mm diam., 12–16-flowered, light golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods subterete, 10–15 mm long, thinly crustaceous, blackish. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, shiny, dark brown; aril pileiform.
A rare species endemic in the Ravensthorpe Ra., W.A. Grows in rocky or sandy clay in open shrub mallee.
Appears most closely related to A. laricina and A. cedroides . Acacia laricina has often longer, pungent phyllodes that are continuous on the branchlets, appressed-pubescent peduncles, cream to pale yellow heads with fewer flowers, gamosepalous calyx and larger pods and seeds. Acacia cedroides has finely striate-ribbed branchlets, verticillate phyllodes, shorter, linear-triangular stipules, gamosepalous calyx and much larger seeds. Also allied to A. pusilla , another Ravensthorpe Ra. endemic, which has smaller, subterete, nearly nerveless phyllodes, shorter stipules, shorter peduncles bearing heads with fewer flowers and coiled pods (the pods of A. rhampophylla are curved and sometimes only slightly so).
Type of accepted name
Ravensthorpe Ra. [precise locality withheld for conservaton reasons], W.A., 31 Aug. 1980, B.R.Maslin 4785 ; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, G, K, MEL, NSW, NY.
Representative collections
W.A.: Ravensthorpe Ra., K.Newbey 9523A and 9523A-1 (MELU, 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.
