Acacia strongylophylla F.Muell., Fragm . 8: 226 (1874)
Round-leaf Wattle
Straggly, glabrous shrub 1–4 m high. Branchlets sometimes pruinose. Stipules spinose, 3–10 mm long. Phyllodes transversely rhombic to widely ovate or almost orbicular, 1–2.5 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, pungent by slender cusp 1–4 mm long, green to subglaucous, with prominent and central midrib, penninerved; minor nerves ultimately anastomosing. Inflorescences simple, 1 per axil, sometimes falsely racemose at ends of branchlets due to phyllode reduction; peduncles 1–3 cm long; heads globular, densely 40–50-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free, linear-spathulate. Pods narrowly oblong, rounded over seeds along the midline, to 8 cm long, 10–12 mm wide, chartaceous. Seeds transverse, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 4–5 mm long, slightly shiny, dark brown to blackish; aril not well developed.
Occurs primarily in the rocky ranges of central Australia from the Rawlinson and Tomkinson Ranges, W.A., E to the Atnarpa Ra., N.T., and S to the Birksgate and Everard Ranges, S.A., also occurs in the Dajarra area, S of Mount Isa, Qld. Grows in shallow red soil on rocky slopes, in valleys and near watercourses, in tall shrubland with Acacia and Eucalyptus spp.
Distinguished most readily from other members of the ‘ A. pyrifolia group’ by its non-racemose inflorescences (although sometimes falsely racemose at ends of branchlets due to phyllode reduction).
Type of accepted name
Between the Alberga R. [Alberga Ck], S.A., and Mt Olga, N.T., 1873- 74, E.Giles ; holo: MEL; iso: NSW.
Synonymy
Racosperma strongylophyllum (F.Muell.) Pedley, Austrobaileya 2: 356 (1987). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
F.J.H. von Mueller, Iconogr. Austral. Acacia dec. 5 (1887); B.R.Maslin, in J.P.Jessop (ed.), Fl. Central Australia 120, fig. 159B (1981); D.J.E.Whibley & D.E.Symon, Acacias S. Australia 2nd edn, 107 (1992).
Representative collections
W.A.: Glen Cumming, Rawlinson Ra., A.S.George 8829 (MEL, PERTH, TLF). N.T.: Standley Chasm, Macdonnell Ra., A.E.Orchard 808 (PERTH). S.A.: Victory Well, c. 15 km W of Everard Park HS, G.C.Cornwall 193 (AD). Qld: Ardmore, c. 5 km S of HS, 33.5 km W of Dajarra, L.Pedley 1353 (BRI).
(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.
