Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

These putative hybrids are relatively common in some places, especially in the western part of the Murchison and Yalgoo IBRA regions between Yalgoo and Meekatharra. Typical A. craspedocarpa has been recorded as occurring in many, but not all, of the populations where the putative hybrid have been collected (occasionally the putative hybrid has been recorded as forming monotypic populations).

Description

Phyllodes normally 2.5–5 cm long and 4-7 with l: w = 5–10, normally at least some with a few anastomosing nerves (anastomoses rarely numerous as in typical A. craspedocarpa).

The phyllode anastomoses are best seen in fresh material by viewing the phyllodes at x10 magnification or higher using transmitted sunlight. In dry material, however, the nerves are often difficult to see because they are commonly obscured by a layer of resin (this resin can be dissolved by alcohol, thus often revealing the anastomoses).

Specimens

3 km N of Mount Magnet towards Cue, Great Northern Highway, B.R. Maslin 4556 (MEL, NSW, PERTH); 33 km NW of Cue on the road to Weld Range, B.R. Maslin 5382 (K, PERTH); 63 km S of Meekatharra on Great Northern Highway to Cue, B.R. Maslin 9045 (CANB, PERTH); about 110 km S of Laverton, c. 55 km W of Sunrise Dam minesite on Mt Celia Road, B.R. Maslin & J.E. Reid BRM 9693 (MEL, PERTH). 157.5 km ENE of Wiluna on Gunbarrel Highway, B.R. Maslin, J. Miller, L. Sweedman & B. Cole BRM 7909 (PERTH).

Notes

Putative hybrids involving A. craspedocarpa are discussed and illustrated in B.R.Maslin & J.E.Reid, Nuytsia 22: 204–205, fig. 33 (2012). However, it is relevant to note that a few specimens illustrated in Figure 33 are now treated under different names: Figure 33A t is now A. craspedocarpa x ramulosa, Figure 33A a is now A. craspedocarpa x ramulosa (short phyllode variant), Figure 33A r & w is now A. craspedocarpa (hybrid: narrow phyllodes; it is also likely that the vouchers for Figure 33A l & u are also referable to this entity).

Acacia craspedocarpa (hybrids) is characterized by phyllodes that are more elongate than those of typical A. craspedocarpa and which normally possess relatively few anastomosing nerves; see under A. craspedocarpa for notes. The few specimens of A. craspedocarapa (hybrid) possessing phyllodes with numerous anastomosing nerves are distinguished from typical A. craspedocarapa by their more elongate phyllodes (l: w commonly above 4).

Despite the removal of specimens noted above, A. craspedocarpa (hybrids) remains largely a taxon of convenience because it brings together individuals of disparate origins (but where A. craspedocarpa is assumed to be one of the parents). In most cases the second parent is unknown but in some instances it is likely that A. macraneura or A. ramulosa are implicated in the hybridity. However, it should be noted that additional putative hybrids involving these latter two species are also keyed separately (see A. craspedocarpa x macraneura and A. craspedocarpa x ramulosa for discussion).

FOA Reference

Flora of Australia Project

Author

B.R.Maslin