Acacia hemsleyi Maiden
Acacia hemsleyi Maiden
Fabaceae
Occurs in tropical Australia (W.A., N.T. and Qld) N of 21ºS; very common in north-western Qld.
Slightly resinous shrub or tree to 7 m high. Bark slightly fissured or shreddy. Upper branchlets commonly angular, otherwise terete, glabrous; upper ridges often resin-convoluted. Stipules triangular, brown, 1–2 mm long, often persistent. Phyllodes linear to very narrowly elliptic and linear-oblanceolate, straight or slightly curved, (4–) 5–12 (–14.5) cm long, (3–) 5–12 (–14) mm wide, acute to obtuse with a ±setose point normally 1.5–3 mm long at apex, thinly to moderately coriaceous, glabrous; longitudinal nerves numerous, with mostly 2 or 3 slightly prominent main nerves continuous from base to apex and 2 or 3 secondary nerves; minor nerves 5–10 per mm, often slightly anastomosing; gland 1, to 3 mm above pulvinus. Inflorescences simple; peduncles 5–12 mm long, glabrous; spikes 1.5–3 cm long. Flowers 5‑merous; calyx 0.4–1 mm long, dissected for 2/3, ciliate and puberulous to ±glabrous; corolla 0.9–1.6 mm long, dissected for 1/2 or more, ±glabrous; ovary densely pubescent. Pods linear, with straight edge or slightly constricted between seeds, 5–10 cm long, 2.5–5 mm wide, firmly chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, ±elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 4.5–5.5 mm long, dark brown; pleurogram with halo; areole closed or almost so, paler than rest of seed.
Flowers June–Sept.
Grows in gravelly sands on river beds and creek banks and on sandy beaches in mangrove communities.
W.A.: Barker R., W.V.Fitzgerald 1535 (NSW). N.T.: Border water hole, Highland Plains Stn, N.M.Henry 224 (DNA, NSW); Cove S of East Neck on Centre Is., Gulf of Carpentaria, B.Rice 2042 (K, NSW). Qld: Herbert R., Rockingham Bay, 1 Aug. 1863, J.Dallachy (NSW); 10 km N of Mount Isa on the Barkly Hwy, P.Ollerenshaw 1178 & D.Kratzing (BRI, CANB, NSW).
This species is allied to A. plectocarpa and A. hammondii, both of which have transversely arranged seeds in the wider and/or undulate pods. Seemingly rare hybrids between A. hemsleyi and A. gloeotricha occur in the Kimberley region, W.A. A toxic substance, probably saponin, has been reported in the pods of A. hemsleyi.
Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia
Dr M.D.Tindale and Dr P.G.Kodela with the assistance of M.Bedward, S.J.Davies, C.Herscovitch, D.A.Keith and/or D.A.Morrison
Edited by B.R.Maslin
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