Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs in north-eastern Qld in the Davies Ck region (SE of Mareeba), the Herberton–Watsonville area and Paluma Ra. (NW of Townsville).

Description

Multi-stemmed, glabrous shrub 0.5–3 m high, occasionally prostrate. Branchlets glabrous. Phyllodes variable in shape and size, narrowly elliptic, oblong-elliptic, oblong-oblanceolate or linear, straight to slightly curved, (3–) 5–15 (–19) cm long, 2–12 (–15) mm wide; multinerved with central one the most prominent, the nerves 2–3 (–4) per mm, ±subdistant and very rarely a few anastomosing; gland 1, minute, to 0.5 mm above pulvinus. Spikes 1–2.5 cm long at anthesis, rather densely flowered, bright sulphur yellow; peduncles 2–5 (–7) mm long. Flowers 5-merous, also occasionally 4- or 6-merous; calyx gamosepalous, sinuate or dissected for 1/3–1/2 its length; petal midrib thickened at apex. Pods linear, straight-sided or very slightly constricted between seeds, straight or slightly curved (dehisced valves curved), flat, 4–11 cm long, (5–) 6–8 (–10) mm wide, subwoody, blackish; margins thickened, pale coloured; stipitate. Seeds longitudinal, oblong-elliptic to orbicular, 4–5.5 mm long, brown or red-brown; pleurogram with broad halo; areole closed or scarcely open, ±fawn.

Phenology

Flowers Mar.–Dec.

Habitat

Grows in open eucalypt woodland in shallow stony or rhyolitic soils, often in rugged, hilly areas.

Specimens

Qld: 8 miles [12.9 km] from Paluma towards Ewan, C.H.Gittins 2415 (CANB, NSW); Davies Ck, Mareeba, H.S.McKee 9332 (NSW); Atherton, May 1919, H.W.Mocatta (NSW).

Notes

Narrowest, linear phyllode forms resemble A. guymeri and sometimes A. jackesiana. Wide phyllode forms superficially resemble A. hyaloneura which is distinguished by its hyaline phyllode nerves and interrupted, longer, paler coloured spikes.

FOA Reference

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

Author

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

Revised by B.R.Maslin