Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Principally from Arthur R. (c. 28 km due E of Darkan) S to near Cranbrook and Ongerup, but with single collections from near Goomalling and Badgingarra (Badgingarra is c. 60 km NW of Moora), south-western W.A.

Description

Prostrate or diffuse shrub 0.1–0.7 m high, often forming low-domed mats. Branches glabrous or with short, antrorsely ±hooked hairs, dividing into numerous, short, divaricate, spinose branchlets. Stipules scarious, 1–2.5 mm long. Phyllodes sometimes in ±nodose fascicles of 2–5, oblong to elliptic, ovate or obovate, commonly 5–13 mm long and 2–4 mm wide with l:w = 2–4, obtuse, often mucronulate, thin, glabrous or appressed-hairy on margins; midrib not prominent. Inflorescences simple, 1 or 2 per axil; peduncles 5–10 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy, ebracteate at base, rarely with a supra-basal bract; heads globular to shortly obloid, 3–4.5 mm diam., 15–20-flowered, golden; bracteoles membranous, spathulate, c. 1 mm long. Flowers 4- or 5-merous; sepals free. Pods terete, often moniliform to sub-moniliform, to 3 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, curved, thinly coriaceous, longitudinally reticulate with elongated nerve-islands, glabrous. Seeds longitudinal, ±oblong, 2.5–3 mm long, shiny, dark brown with yellowish centre, not mottled; aril white to cream.

Habitat

Grows in clay, sandy clay and sandy or gravelly loam in Eucalyptus wandoo woodland.

Specimens

W.A.: 22.5 km N of Badgingarra, A.S.George 6728 (PERTH); near Mortlock R., 9 km SW of Goomalling, A.S.George 15742 (PERTH); 4 km NE of Moir Hill, K.Newbey 4233 (BRI, CANB, NY, PERTH).

Notes

Most of the seemingly atypical specimens that were noted in the protologue of A. lullfitziorum are now included within the circumscription of A. keigheryi Maslin (i.e. K.Newbey 930, 1508, 1794 and 4319, all PERTH) and A. parkerae Maslin (i.e. A.S.George 11063 and 15255, both PERTH). The identity of the specimens J.Drummond s.n.(K) and 34 (MEL) and W.R.Elliott 1618 (PERTH) remain uncertain. A number of these specimens were noted as variants under A. lullfitziorum by B.R.Maslin, Fl. Australia 11A: 552 (2001).

Formerly often cultivated as A. congesta which is a more erect shrub to 2.5 m high with distinctly pungent phyllodes and heads with many more flowers.

FOA Reference

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 11A (2001), 11B (2001) and 12 (1998), products of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia

Author

Minor edits by B.R.Maslin & J.Rogers

B.R.Maslin