Acacia tetragonocarpa Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss . 1: 4 (1844)
Straggly, rush-like, glabrous shrub 0.4–1 m high, sometimes prostrate or semi-prostrate. Branches slender and wiry, terete, finely striate with yellow ribs, green and sulcate between ribs. Phyllodes reduced to continuous, thin, horizontally flattened, narrowly triangular scales 1.5–3 mm long, bipinnate leaves sometimes persistent at base of stems. Inflorescences simple, 1–3 in axil of scales; peduncles 7–15 mm, long slender; heads 1–4-flowered, commonly 2-flowered, yellow; bracteoles persistent, navicular, c. 1 mm long; buds cylindrical to narrowly obovate, 1 mm wide. Flowers 4-merous; sepals united, c. 1/3 length of corolla; petals finely flabellate-striate. Pods stipitate, shallowly curved, 2–6 cm long, 4–5 mm wide, acute to acuminate, thinly coriaceous-crustaceous, acutely quadrangular by flat, winged margins 1–2 mm wide, reddish brown, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, 5 mm long; aril terminal, conical.
Discontinuous, occurring in the Perth- Jarrahdale, Busselton- Witchcliffe and Albany areas, south-western W.A. Grows in swampy and seasonally wet sandy soil in Paperbark ( Melaleuca sp.) or Jarrah ( Eucalyptus marginata ) woodland, with one hillside collection from regenerating heath in sandy loam over laterite.
G.Bentham, Fl. Austral. 2: 336 (1864), appears to have included elements of A. aemula in his description of A. tetragonocarpa .
Distinguished from the more northerly distributed A. cummingiana which has 8–12-flowered heads, pods 8–10 mm wide and seeds presumably oblique, see B.R.Maslin, Nuytsia 10: 175 (1995), for further details.
Type of accepted name
Near Spencer’s property [i.e. Strawberry Hill farm, Albany], W.A., 8 Dec. 1840, L.Preiss 866 ; lecto: LD, fide B.R.Maslin & R.S.Cowan, Nuytsia 9: 413 (1994); isolecto: G, NY, P, W.
Synonymy
Tetracheilos meissneri Lehm., Pl. Priess . 2: 368 (1848), nom. illeg . (should have adopted the name tetragonocarpa ). Type: as for accepted name.
Illustration
M.Simmons, Acacias Australia 2: 19 (1988).
Representative collections
W.A.: c. 6 km from Sullivan Rock towards Jarrahdale, R.J.Cumming 1089 (PERTH); Bateman, SE of Perth, A.S.George 9865 (CANB, K, MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH); West Cape Howe Natl Park, N.Gibson & M.Lyons 136 (PERTH); c. 2 km NE of Witchcliffe, S.D.Hopper 4393 (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.
