Family

Fabaceae

Distribution

Occurs on the Mitchell Plateau in north-western W.A.

Description

Subshrub, prostrate or semiprostrate, with numerous small branches arising from subterranean rootstock. Branchlets ±angular, virgate, green and lenticellate between brown (usually resin-crenulated) ridges, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Phyllodes linear, straight, 4–15 cm long, 0.8–3 mm wide, flat, slightly resinous, with 1 or 2 excentric more prominent longitudinal nerves; minor nerves parallel, not regularly conspicuous; basal gland inconspicuous. Spikes 4–12 mm long, densely flowered, shortly cylindrical to ±obloid, yellow. Flowers 5-merous; calyx 0.8–1.3 mm long, dissected to 1/4–1/3; sepals thick, with distinct midrib, fimbriolate and sparsely pilose; corolla 1.7–2 mm long, dissected to ±1/2, with prominent midrib, glabrous, viscid; ovary glabrous or with tomentum near apex. Pods linear, almost flat, ±straight, slightly curved at apex, 4–5.5 cm long, 3.5–4.5 mm wide, tapered at base and apex, light brown. Seeds ±oblique, elliptic, dorsiventrally flattened, c. 4.2 mm long, very dark brown; pleurogram surrounded by slightly paler halo; funicle scarcely folded, pale.

Phenology

Flowers Feb., Mar. & June; fruits June.

Habitat

Grows on laterite, sometimes over basalt, in low open forest with Corymbia confertiflora.

Specimens

W.A.: c. 1 km E of old Amax Camp, Mitchell Plateau, C.R.Dunlop 6919 & M.Gallen (BRI, DNA, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 0.5 km NE of Amax Basecamp, Mitchell Plateau, K.F.Kenneally 7106 (NSW, PERTH).

Notes

Few specimens of this taxon have been examined, and further field studies are necessary.

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