Acacia tetanophylla Maslin, Nuytsia 2: 157; 158, fig. 6 & 160, fig. 7 (1977)
Shrub 0.6–2 m high. Branchlets glabrous, sometimes appressed-puberulous. Phyllodes ascending to erect, straight, usually hexagonal-terete (fresh), often slightly flattened and furrowed between nerves when dry, usually 15–40 mm long and 1–1.5 mm wide, subulate-pungent, rigid, glaucous, green when young, glabrous, 7-nerved with the 2 adaxial nerves coalescing near gland 5–15 mm above base. Inflorescences simple; peduncles usually 4–7 mm long, glabrous, the rostriform basal bract caducous; heads globular, usually golden and 3.5–4 mm diam., usually 13–18-flowered. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods linear to narrowly oblong, usually to 4 cm long, 2–4 mm wide, slightly undulate, firmly chartaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2.5–3 mm long, shiny, dark brown to black; aril subterminal.
Occurring sporadically from near Chillilup (just S of Stirling Ra.) ENE to near Ravensthorpe, south-western W.A. Outliers occur near Nyabing (c. 100 km N of Chillilup) and near Lake King (c. 60 km N of Ravensthorpe). Grows in, often rocky, sand or clay.
A well-marked variant occurs in the Dragon Rocks Reserve, c. 70 km WNW of Lake King (e.g. B.R.Maslin 6309 , PERTH). It differs quantitatively in a number of character states and probably should be accorded formal recognition at the species level. It has glaucous, obscurely nerved, small phyllodes (6.5–14 mm long, 0.8–1.5 mm diam.) that are not sulcate in drying, short peduncles 2–4.5 mm long bearing lemon yellow heads 2.5 mm diam. with about ten flowers each and short pods (to 2.7 cm).
A member of the ‘ A. sulcata group’, perhaps nearest A. dura but distinguished by its prominent, long, slender, straight phyllode-cusp. Also possibly related to A. hystrix and A. declinata ; superficially similar in phyllodes to A. pharangites .
Type of accepted name
Kalgan River, W.A., 4 Oct. 1901, L.Diels 4596 ; lecto: PERTH (Fragment ex B), fide B.R.Maslin, loc. cit .
Synonymy
Acacia tetanophylla is based on the following: Acacia triptycha var. pungens E.Pritz., Bot. Jahrb. Syst . 35: 293 (1904). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustrations
B.R.Maslin, op. cit. 158, fig. 6.
Representative collections
W.A.: Hamersley R., Fitzgerald R. Natl Park, M.I.H.Brooker 2750 (AD, BRI, PERTH); 17.7 km W of Ravensthorpe near Phillips R. crossing, B.R.Maslin 3466 (AD, CANB, K, MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH); 16 km E of Lake King, K.Newbey 9481-1 (MELU, PERTH).
(RSC)
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.
