Acacia homaloclada F.Muell.
Acacia homaloclada F.Muell.
Fabaceae
An uncommon species from Hinchinbrook Is. and nearby coastal areas near Ingham, Qld.
Spindly glabrous shrub to 5 m high. New shoots pink. Branchlets flattened towards extremities. Phyllodes lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 6–10 (–12) cm long, 9–15 (–20) mm wide, acute or obtuse, thin, with 3 prominent, longitudinal main nerves; minor nerves few, inconspicuous and sparingly longitudinally anastomosing; gland prominent, 2–6 mm above base. Inflorescences simple or rudimentary racemes with axes c. 1 mm long, 2–5 per axil; peduncles 8–15 mm long; basal bract persistent; heads globular, 20–30-flowered, golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free. Pods flat, alternately rounded over seeds and scarcely constricted between them, to 10 cm long, 8–10 mm wide, coriaceous, pruinose; margins thickened. Seeds longitudinal, subcircular, subflat, 4–5 mm long, dull, black; funicle/aril 1/2–3/4 encircling seed, dark coloured.
It appears as though this species flowers around Nov.–Dec.
Grows in sandy soil mainly along streams in eucalypt woodland.
Qld: 15 km N of Ingham, L.Pedley 2600 (A, BISH, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, MEXU); Zoe Bay, Hinchinbrook Is., J.G.Tracey 15484 (BRI).
Related to A. complanata which is most readily distinguished by its phyllodes with 7–9 main longitudinal nerves and heads 35–45 (–60)-flowered. Acacia homaloclada has similar phyllodes and flowers to those of A. racospermoides.
Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia
R.S.Cowan, B.R.Maslin
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