Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Scattered mainly in the Murchison IBRA Bioregion when it has been recorded from near Cue, Mount Magnet, Sandstone, Peak Hill Station (N of Meekatharra) and in the general vicinity of Wiluna.

Description

Phyllodes linear to linear-elliptic, 25–50 (–55) mm long and 2–3 (–3.5) mm wide with l:w = (8–) 10–17, incurved, nerves numerous and most parallel but normally a few anastomoses on some phyllodes, margins not resinous or sometimes incipiently resinous. Pods 15–30 mm long, 10–15 mm wide, red-brown at maturity (but relatively few mature pods seen), commonly glabrous, resinous (at least on the nerves), obscurely reticulate with nerves not longitudinally orientated, margins rimmed or bevel-edged (rarely a incipient wing developed). Seed flattened and rather large (6–8 x 4–5.5 mm).

Specimens

0.5 km S of Leonora, S.J. Forbes 1527 (MEL n.v., PERTH); 36.5 km N of Mount Magnet on Great Northern Highway to Cue, B.R. Maslin & J. Miller BRM 7924B (PERTH); Peak Hill Station N of Meekatharra, 200 m W of station access road on track to abandoned Harmony minesite, B.R. Maslin & J.E. Reid BRM 9635 (PERTH).

Notes

Putative hybrids involving A. craspedocarpa as one parent are discussed by B.R.Maslin & J.E.Reid, Nuytsia 22: 204 (2012); it is also likely that the vouchers for Figure 33A l & u are also referable to this entity. These narrow phyllode morphotypes are distinguished by their phyllodes which are narrower and more elongate than plants assigned to the typical form of this putative hybrid which have phyllodes that are (3–) 4–7 (–11) mm wide with l: w = (4–) 5–10 (–12). They are found scattered throughout the range of A. craspedocarpa (hybrid) and occur in mixed Mulga communities that sometimes, but not always, contain typical A. craspedocarpa. The mixed population studied by Miller et al. (referred to in Maslin & Reid, l.c.) contained both A. craspedocarpa (hybrid narrow phyllodes) and A. craspedocarpa (hybrid) but these were unable to be confirmed as hybrids involving typical A. craspedocarpa (which also occurred in this same population) by the genetic techniques used in that study.

This entity is superficially similar to Acacia craspedocarpa x macrocarpa (see this entity for distinguishing features).

It is possible that discordant elements are encompassed within the present definition of Acacia craspedocarpa (hybrid: narrow phyllodes) but more comprehensive collections of mature fruiting material are needed to assess this properly (many of the specimens seen have been sterile or with immature pods).

FOA Reference

Flora of Australia Project

Author

B.R.Maslin