Acacia telmica A.R.Chapm. & Maslin, Nuytsia 8: 277; 261, fig. 4C (1992)
Dense, rounded shrub 1–3 m high, 1.5–5 m wide. Branchlets densely puberulous. Phyllodes elliptic to narrowly elliptic, mostly 2–4 cm long and 8–20 mm wide, l:w = 2–4, commonly obtuse, thin, dark green or subglaucous, appressed-puberulous on margins and nerves when young, ageing glabrous except sometimes sparsely hairy near base, 1- or 2-nerved, lateral nerves obscure; glands not prominent, normally 6–10 mm above pulvinus, also at base of mucro; pulvinus puberulous. Inflorescences 3–5-headed racemes; raceme axes 10–25 mm long, puberulous, commonly growing out; peduncles 6–10 mm long, sparsely puberulous or sometimes glabrous; heads globular, subdense, 18–25-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals united into a truncate calyx. Pods submoniliform, to c. 5 cm long, 4–5 mm wide, crustaceous, breaking readily at constrictions, appressed-puberulous especially at constrictions. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4 mm long, slightly shiny, grey-brown; aril usually orange.
An uncommon species occurring in the Irwin- Strawberry (near Dongara) and L. Logue- L. Indoon areas (near Eneabba), south-western W.A. Grows in sand, loam and loamy clay in low-lying seasonally moist areas, in woodland or shrubland.
Occasional individuals in the L. Logue population have cream coloured rather than orange arils.
A member of the ‘ A. bivenosa group’ which is geographically close to A. rostellifera and A. xanthina but readily distinguished from both by shorter phyllodes and the presence of an indumentum on the young growth, branchlets, raceme axes, etc. These characters render it superficially similar to the more northerly distributed A. startii . Also related to A. didyma .
Type of accepted name
SE margin of Lake Logue, W.A., 25 Aug. 1988, A.R.Chapman 564 holo: PERTH; iso: AD, BM, BRI, CANB, G, K, MEL, MO, NSW, NY, P.
Illustration
A.R.Chapman & B.R.Maslin, loc. cit .
Representative collections
W.A.: SE of L. Logue on causeway, 12.5 km W of Brand Hwy on Eneabba- Leeman road, A.R.Chapman 563 (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH) and 563A (PERTH); 7.2 km along Milo Rd S of Dongara- Mullewa road, A.R.Chapman 604 (AD, BM, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, MO, NSW, PERTH).
(ARC & 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.
