Acacia rothii F.M.Bailey, Queensland Agric. J. 6: 39, pl. 161 (1900)
Tree 6–12 m high. Bark rough, dark grey-brown. Branchlets angular at extremities, glabrous. Phyllodes narrowly oblong-elliptic, falcate, 15–25 (–30) cm long, 1.5–2.5 (–3.5) cm wide, obtuse, glabrous, with 2 or 3 prominent longitudinal nerves; secondary nerves anastomosing in open reticulum; main gland basal, 1 or 2 additional smaller glands often on upper margin. Inflorescences racemose; raceme axes 5–9.5 cm long, glabrous; peduncles normally 8–10 mm long, glabrous; heads globular, 5.5–6 mm diam., c. 50-flowered, pale yellow. Flowers 5-merous; sepals 3/4-united. Legumes flat, to 15 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, woody, transversely reticulately nerved, glabrous, tardily dehiscent; margins narrowly winged. Seeds transverse, oblong to elliptic, 8–12 mm long, slightly shiny, dark brown; funicle fleshy, folded beneath the aril.
Occurs on Cape York Penin. S to Palmer R., northern Qld. The N.T. occurrences given in B.R.Maslin & L.Pedley, W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes 6: 104 (1982), were based on misidentifications of A. mimula . Grows in loam, sand and lateritic red earth in eucalypt communities, occasionally in vine thickets.
Closely related to A. mimula (N.T.) which is distinguished by its narrower pods and often shorter phyllodes and smaller stature. See also A. bakeri .
Type of accepted name
Mouth of the Batavia R., Qld, W.E.Roth s.n. ; holo: BRI; probable iso: NSW, fide P.G.Kodela, Telopea 7: 422 (1998).
Synonymy
Racosperma rothii (F.M.Bailey) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 355 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
F.M.Bailey, loc. cit. ; J.W.Turnbull, Multipurpose Austral. Trees & Shrubs 190 (1986).
Representative collections
Qld: 15 33’ S, 142 42’ E, J.R.Clarkson 3779 (PERTH); Weipa, A.Morton AGM598 (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.
