Acacia spathulifolia Maslin, Nuytsia 2: 213 (1978)
Dense, spreading shrub 0.5–3 m high. Branchlets glabrous or puberulous. Phyllodes horizontally flattened, narrowly oblong-oblanceolate, 1–2 cm long, 1.5–4.5 mm wide, obtuse, thick, fleshy, longitudinally wrinkled and commonly partially involute (dry), green to yellow-green, glabrous; marginal nerves distinct and yellow, other nerves obscure or absent; gland on upper surface above middle of phyllode. Inflorescences mostly 1-headed with raceme axes 0.5–2 mm long; peduncles 5–15 mm long, glabrous; heads globular, 5–6 mm diam., subdense, 9–15-flowered, golden; bracteoles absent. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united into a truncate calyx. Pods narrowly oblong, slightly raised over and slightly constricted between seeds, to 4 cm long, 4–4.5 mm wide, crustaceous-coriaceous, brown, finely longitudinally reticulate, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic, c. 4 mm long, shiny, dark brown; aril white (drying yellowish).
Occurs in coastal areas from Cape Range Natl Park S to Tamala but most common from Kalbarri to Jurien, extending inland to Mullewa and Piawaning, W.A. The lectotype locality is probably an error, fide B.R.Maslin, loc. cit. Commonly forming large populations. Grows in sand over limestone in coastal heath, shrubland and low woodland.
One of the diaphyllodinous species (see under A. diaphyllodinea for definition and references concerning diaphyllodes) closely resembling broad phyllode forms of A. leptospermoides which has glaucous phyllodes when young, more flowers per head, free or half-united sepals and narrower, curved to once-coiled pods (straight to slightly curved in A. spathulifolia ). The Milne paralectotype collection from Shark Bay included both these species.
Type of accepted name
Murray R., W.A., A.Oldfield ; lecto: MEL, fide B.R.Maslin, loc. cit .; isolecto: K, PERTH (Fragment ex MEL); Bay of Rest, W.A., 1818, A.Cunningham 117 ; paralecto: K; Shark Bay, mainland, W.A., Milne ; paralecto: K.
Synonymy
Acacia spathulifolia is based on the following: Acacia spathulata F.Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Austral. 2: 356 (1864), non Tausch (1836). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
F. von Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec. 5, [pl. 1] (1887), as A. spatulata ; M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 87 (1981).
Representative collections
W.A.: junction of Giralia Stn road with Exmouth road, M.E.Ballingall 1857A (MO, PERTH); S side of road from Kalbarri, 7.1 km towards Ajana, Kalbarri Natl Park, R.S.Cowan A805 & R.A.Cowan (CANB, NY, PERTH, US); 3.2 km E of Piawaning, F.Lullfitz 1653 (PERTH); 6.4 km W of Greenough R. bridge on Geraldton- Mullewa road, B.R.Maslin 700 (CANB, MEL, 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.
