NUYTSIA
Volume 4 Number 1
1982
ISSN 0085-4417
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERBARIUM— DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cover
A representation of Nuvisia florihunda (Labill.) R.Br. ex Fenzl the Western Australian
Christmas Tree The journal is named after the plant, w hich in turn commemorates Pieter N uijts, an
ambassador of the Dutch East India Company, who in 1 627 accompanied the “Guide Zeepard" on
one of the first explorations along the south coast of Australia.
NUYTSIA
VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1
1982
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERBARIUM,
DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE,
SOUTH PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
CONTENTS
An introduction to a series of papers describing new species from the Wongan
Hills and surrounding district. By Kevin F. Kenneally 1
A new species of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) endemic to the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia. By R. J. Chinnock 5
Daviesia spiralis and D. debilior (Leguminosae:Papilionoideae), two new
species occurring in the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. By M. D. Crisp. 9
A new species of Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) from the Wongan Hills district,
Western Australia. By Stephen D. Hopper 17
A new species of Microcorys (Lamiaceae) from the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia. By Kevin F. Kenneally 23
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminoaae:Mimosoideae) — 10. Acacia species
of the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. By B. R. Maslin 29
Eriostemon wonganensis (Rutaceae), a new species from the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 47
Rhagodia acicularis (Chenopodiaceae), a new species from the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 51
A new species of Conostylis R.Br. (Haemodoraceae) from the Fitzgerald River
area. Western Australia. By J. W. Green 55
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 11. Acacia species
of the Hamersley Range area. Western Australia. By B. R. Maslin 61
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 12. Two new
species from the eastern goldfields, Western Australia. By B. R. Maslin. . . 105
New subspecies in Eucalyptus caesia and in E. crucis (Myrtaceae) of Western
Australia. By M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper 113
Eucalyptus synandra (Myrtaceae), a new species of mallee from Western
Australia. By M. D. Crisp 129
Publication date of Nuytsia Volume 3 Number 3 134
Editorial Board
B. R. Maslin
J. W. Green
P. G. Wilson
Editorial Assistant
J. W. Lee-Frampton
Western Australian Herbarium, George St., South Perth,
Western Australia 6151.
Nuytsia4 (1): 1-3 (1982)
1
An introduction to a series of papers describing new species from
the Wongan Hills and surrounding district
Kevin F. Kenneally
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Eight undescribed plant species which have come to light as a result of botanical
studies of the Wongan Hills and surrounding district (Kenneally, 1977a), are
described and illustrated in a series of papers in the present issue of Nuytsia.
As all of these species are geographically quite restricted (Table 1) and are either
vulnerable or endangered (Rye, 1980), they are being published now in order to
provide names for the purposes of flora protection.
af'd Geographically Restricted Species occurring within 20 km of Wongan Hills Townsite
(modified from Rye, 1980).
Species
Approx.
Range
(km)
Endemic to
Wongan Hills
Range
VR
Classification
R VGR
GR
* Acacia botrvdion Maslin
15
+
+
A. dentinilosa F. Muell.
150
- 1 -
A. dura Benth.
30
A. semicircinalis Maiden and Blakely
9
+
+
+
A. sp. aff. obovata Benth. {Maslin 4550)
T
+
+
*A. pbarangites Maslin
T
+
+
+
Boronia ericifolia Benth.
90
Calytrix slowardii S. Moore
T
?
+
+
Clematis sp. aff. niicrophylla DC. (Kenneallv
5361)
9
+
—
-1
—
*Con<>stylis wonganensis S. D. Hopper
40
+
+
Daviesia euphorbioides Benth.
1
+
+
*D. spiralis Crisp
5
+
9
+
Dryandra comosa Meisn.
11
+
+
D. pulchella Meisn.
8
+
Eremophila sargentii (S. Moore) Chinnock
70
*E. ternifulia Chinnock
T
-1-
+
+
*Eriostem(m wonganensis Paul G. Wilson
T
+
+
+
Eucalyptus caesia Benth.
300
+
Gastrolobium glaucum C. A. Gardner
T
+
+
G. hamulosum Meisn.
110
+
Melaleuca wehsteri S. Moore
80
*Microcorys eremophiloides Kenneally
7
-t
+
+
*Rhagodia acicularis Paul G. Wilson
T
+
+
-f
Stylidium coroniforme R. Erickson and W'illis
T
4-
+
+
Tetratheca retrorsa J. Thompson
220
9
#
Wurnibea bumilis Macfarlane
T
—
+
—
+
—
* Species described as new in this issue of Nuytsia
=tt= Species known only from two widely separated areas
T Species known only from type locality (or a single locality)
VR Very Rare— having less than a few hundred reproductively mature plants in natural populations
\Tn^ Rare— less than a few thousand reproductively mature plants in natural populations
Geographically Restricted— having a maximum geographical range of less than 50 km
CxK Geographically Restricted — maximum geographical range less than 160 km
2
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Because some of the new species are endemic to the range of hills known as the
Wongan Hills it becomes necessary to define what is meant by The Wongan Hills
and The Wongan Hills District.
The Wongan Hills are a range of flat-topped hills lying 12 km to the north-west of
the township of Wongan Hills. Located in the Wongan-Ballidu Shire, 143 km (air
distance) north-east of Perth, Western Australia, Wongan Hills is the centre of a
large wheat and sheep farming district. Since the discovery and naming of the hills
by Surveyor-General J. S. Roe in November 1836, only one attempt has been made
to define their boundary: in an account of the natural history of the area (Kenneally,
1977b), aerial photographs were used to distinguish the lateritised area associated
with the hills. However, a more precise delineation of The Wongan Hills and the
surrounding area, now termed The Wongan Hills District, is presented in this paper.
A method has now been devised for delineating the outcropping lateritised area on
the basis of the contour line of best fit. This was aided by the availability of a recent
Department of Defence map, completed by the Army in 1977. The Department of
Lands and Surveys also provided valuable advice and assistance.
Figure 1. A topographic map delineating the Wongan Hills from the surrounding district.
A 320 m contour line was selected as a line best delineating the outcropping
lateritised area from the surrounding sandplain. This accords with Roe’s original
concept of the Wongan Hills. However on the south-eastern boundary an arbitrary
K. F. Kenneally, Wongan Hills
3
line joining the 320 m contour line has been incorporated to exclude areas of
sandplain which intrude over the laterite. The vegetation in this zone is transitional
between sandplain and laterite. The Wongan Hills thus defined comprise a series of
laterite-capped mesas generally trending north-south, dissected by numerous steep
gullies in which exposures of greenstone and granite can be seen (Figure 1). They
cover an area of 3 216 ha and are the largest single area of natural vegetation
remaining in the northern wheatbelt.
The Wongan Hills District corresponds to the Guangan Vegetation System as
defined by Beard (1979, 1980). It occupies all of the area shown in Figure 1 as far
west as a line running roughly north and south through Lake Hinds. The District
covering some 500 000 ha is characterized to a very large extent by residual sandplain
of which yellow sand, often containing gravel, is the most common. The lateritised
Wongan Hills support a vegetation system different to that of the Guangan System
and thus form an enclave within that System (Beard, 1979).
Acknowledgements
The assistance of Brian Goodchild, Department of Lands and Surveys is gratefully
acknowledged. Cheryl Lynch prepared Figure 1 based on topographic detail
compiled from Department of Defence (Army) line compilations. Bruce Maslin and
John Green read the manuscript and made valuable suggestions.
The continuing interest of the residents of the Wongan-Ballidu Shire and
members of the W.A. Naturalists’ Club, in supporting the natural history survey of
the Wongan Hills, is gratefully acknowledged.
References
Beard, J. S. (1979). 'The vegetation of the Moora and Hill River areas Western Australia.’ Map and
Explanatory memoir 1;'250 000 series. (Vegmap Publications: Perth.)
Beard, -J. S. (1980). 'The vegetation of the Bencubbin area Western Australia.’ Map and explanatory
memoir 1:250 000 series. (Vegmap Publications: Perth.)
Kenneally, K. F. (Co-ordinator) (1977a). ‘The Natural History of the Wongan Hills.’ Handbook No. 11
(W.A. Naturalists’ Club: Perth.)
Kenneally, K. F. (1977b). Narrative and environment of the Wongan Hills survey. In Kenneally (1977a).
Rye, B. L. (1980). Rare and geographically restricted plants of Western Australia. 4. Wongan Hills Species.
Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Perth (Unpub. report.)
Nuytsia 4 (1): 5-7 (1982)
5
A new species of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) endemic to the
Wongan Hills, Western Australia
R. J. Chinnock
State Herbarium, Botanic Gardens, North Terrace, Adelaide, S.A. 5000
Abstract
Chinnock, R. J. A new species of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) endemic to the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia. Nuytsia 4 (1): 5-7 (1982). Eremophila ternifolia Chinnock is described and illustrated. This
species IS characterised by having leaves in whorls of 3 and fruit in which the two carpels are unequal and
free in the upper half. The species is considered endangered, although it is established in cultivation.
Eremophila ternifolia Chinnock, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Frutex humilis ramis complanatis in piano uno. Folia ternato-verticillata
lanceolata vel elliptica acuta raro obtusa. Sepala 4 vel 5 linearia vel anguste
triangularia. Corolla lilacina maculata purpurea pubescentia. Fructus manifeste
rostratus, duo carpella inaequalia dimidio superiore libero.
Typus: Wongan Hills, SE of Mt Matilda, on Conway’s property, 11 Dec. 1980, B. R.
Maslin 4805, (holo: PERTH; iso: AD, CANB).
Low spreading shrub 0. 3-0.5 x 0.5-0.7 m. Branches opposite, subopposite, or
alternate, flattened into one plane, non-tuberculate, hirsute but with numerous
shorter glandular hairs. Leaves sessile, in whorls of 3, the whorls alternate; lamina
green above, often reddish-brown below and on the margins, lanceolate to elliptic,
acute, broadly acute or rarely obtuse, entire, 6-11 x 2.7-4 mm, glabrous. Flowers
solitary, sessile. Sepals 4 or 5 sometimes the 5th one vestigial, free almost to the base,
linear to narrowly triangular, swollen and corky at the base, green to reddish-brown,
becoming prominently veined at fruiting stage and curving over fruit, 3-4.6 x 0.5-1 (-
1.3) mm, glandular-pubescent on both surfaces. Corolla to 10 mm long, lilac, the tube
white below, spotted purple inside, pubescent outside, prominently bearded on the
lowermost lobe inside extending down the tube; lobes obtuse. Stamens 4, included,
but the anthers extending to the throat, glabrous; filaments pale lilac, stamens blue.
Ovary ovoid, 1. 2-1.5 x c. 1 mm, bilobed, bilocular with one ovule per loculus,
pubescent; the hairs around the apex short glandular, those below longer, eglandular.
Fruit dry, indehiscent, prominently beaked, the carpels unequal and free in the
upper half, 2.3-3. 2 x 2.2-2. 8 mm, hirsute. Seed small, ovoid, pale yellowish-white, 1.8
X 0.6 mm.
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Conways Farm in the
Wongan Hills, J. S. Beard 8003 (PERTH); E side of the Wongan Hills behind
Conways property “Dunmoor”, 8 km N of township Wongan Hills, K. F. Kenneally
7532 (PERTH).
Distribution. Known only from the Wongan Hills, 8 km N of the township.
Figure 1. Eremophila temitoha. A — Habit of major branch, branched in one plane. B — Portion of branch
showing the ternate leaf arrangernent. C and D— Outer and inner surface of sepal. E and F — front and side
vmw of flower. G— Gynoecium H and 1— Side and top view of mature fruit. A— G from Maslin 4805
(Holotype); H— I from henneallv 7532.
R. J. Chinnock, Eremophila '
Ecology. Eremophila ternifolia is the second endemic Eremophila to be described
from the Wongan Hills and like the other one, E. sargentii (S. Moore) Chinnock, it is
extremely rare. Mr. K. F. Kenneally, who first found this species estimated that the
total population consisted of approximately 70 plants. Both these species have a
conservation status of 2V according to the Leigh, Briggs & Hartley (1981)
classification for rare or threatened plants.
The species grows in Eucalyptus longicornis/salubris woodland with scattered
mallees (E. gracilis) under a shrub layer of Santalum acuminatum, Melaleuca adnata
and Acacia orhifolia on red clays between breakaways.
Affinities. Eremophila veronica is allied to E. ternifolia but differs in having small,
densely spiral, linear subterete leaves which are flattened on the upper side and an
ovoid fruit which is not split in the upper part.
Cultivation. Eremophila ternifolia has been established in cultivation in Adelaide
from live material collected by Bruce Maslin. The species is easily obtained from
cuttings and rooted plants can be obtained in 1 to 2 months with a 80-90 per cent
success rate using a 1:1 peat/coarse sand medium.
Acknowledgements
I thank Kevin Kenneally and Bruce Maslin for collecting material and Ludwik
Dutkiewicz for the illustration.
Reference
Leigh, .J., Briggs, J. & Hartley, W. (1981). ‘Rare or Threatened Australian Plants.’ Australian National
Parks and Wildlife Service Special Publication 7.
16559 — ( 2 )
Nuytsia 4 (1): 9-16 (1982)
9
Daviesia spiralis and D. debilior (Leguminosae:Papilionoideae),
two new species occurring in the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia
M.D. Crisp
Herbarium, National Botanic Gardens, P.O. Box 158, Canberra City, A.C.T. 2601
Abstract
Crisp M D Daviesia spiralis and D. debilior (Leguminosae;Papilionoideae), two new species occurring
in the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. Nuytsia 4 (1): 9-16 (1982). Two new species occurring in the
Wongan Hills, Western Australia, are described and illustrated. Daviesia spiralis is endemic to the Hills
and has twisted leaves which are unique in the genus. Daviesia debilior includes two subspecies and
extends northward to Eneabba.
Daviesia spiralis Crisp, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Ab omnibus speciebus Daviesiae foliis linearibus in spiram dextrorsum (externe
visam) tortis facile dignoscenda. Frutex intricatus; stipulae adsunt; racemi floribus 1-
2; calyx labio superno truncate emarginato; carina subulata inflexa, in dimidio
superno supervolutiva.
Typus: 28 km from Piawaning along road to Wongan Hills town, 30°50'S, 116°39'E,
26 Jan. 1979, M.D. Crisp 5491, fl., fr., spirit material, photos (holo: CBG; iso: CBG,
K, NSW, PERTH, US).
Intricate, rounded shrub to 1.5 m tall and broad; branchlets ribbed, muriculate.
Phyllodes alternate, ascending, decurrent, linear, twisted into a right-handed spiral
(as viewed externally), apically attenuate and uncinate, to 100 x 3 mm, much reduced
towards branchlet apices, muriculate, with a central and two marginal ribs but no
visible veins. Stipules minute, $ 0.5 mm long. Racemes 1-few per axil, 1-2-flowered;
rhachis 2-8 mm long. Pedicel narrowly clavate, 5-18 mm long. Calyx campanulate, 4-
4.5 mm long; upper two lobes united in a truncate emarginate lip; lower three lobes
triangular, 1.5 mm long. Standard lamina transverse-broad-elliptic, emarginate,
slightly cordate, 6.5-7. 5 x 8-10 mm, with two parallel ridge-like callosities on either
side of the centre line towards the base, yellow, the centre with a rich yellow, bilobed
marking bordered with a red infusion; claw c. 1 mm long; wings irregularly obovate,
pouched, shortly beaked, auriculate, reddish; claw c. 1.5 mm long; keel subulate,
inflexed, supervolute in upper half, very acutely beaked, shallowly auriculate,
reddish grading to maroon at apex; claw c. 1.5 mm long. Stamens almost uniform,
inflexed; anthers ovoid, basifixed. Ovary subsessile, narrow-oblong; style inflexed;
stigma capitate, minute. Pod compressed, obliquely half ovate, long acute, 10-
13 X 4.5-5 mm; seed compressed, ovoid -elliptic, 3-4 x 2-2.5 mm, pale brown speckled
with black; hilum lateral; aril conspicuous, c. 1.5 mm long.
10
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Daviesia spiralis, a — branchlet. b — inflorescence, c — standard, d — transection of standard in
plane indicated by arrows on c. e — wing, claw at left, f — keel, claw at right, g — pod. h — seed, lateral view,
radicular end downwards, i — seed, hilar view,
a from K. F. Kenneally 2303; b — i from the type, M. D. Crisp 5491. a, b and g drawn by B-J. Osborne.
Additional specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Laterite gully adjacent
to Fowlers Gully, S end of Wongan Hills, 194 km N of Perth, K. F. Kenneally 2303
(PERTH); “The Gap” between Elphin Railway Siding and T. V. Translator Tower,
Wongan Hills, 30°50'S, 116°40'E, K. F. Kenneally 7155 (PERTH).
Distribution. Western Australia, Avon district, endemic in the Wongan Hills. Within
the Hills there are 500 or more plants scattered in four or more populations over a
range of at least 10 km (B. Rye, personal communication).
M. D. Crisp, Daviesia
11
Habitat. Daviesia spiralis appears to grow exclusively in laterite-derived clay and
gravel. It is associated with mallee shrubland dominated by Eucalyptus
eudesmioides, E. ebbanoensis, E. dnimmondii and Casuarina campestris, with
Dryandra comosa and D. pulchella common. However, like many species of Daviesia
it tends to be most numerous in openings in the vegetation, especially at the type
locality, where it has invaded the road cutting (B. Rye, personal communication,
partly). At the type locality, it is associated with the type population of D. debilior
subsp. sinuans (q.v.).
Conservation status. Vulnerable, coded 3V (criteria from Leigh, Briggs & Hartley,
1981).
Flowering period. September to January. Fruiting period. December to February.
Affinity. Daviesia spiralis is a most distinctive species, apparently without close
relatives within the genus. Apart from the twisting of the leaves, it is vegetatively
similar to D. elongata Benth. and D. costata Cheel, but is quite different in floral
morphology and inflorescence. The flowers, fruits, seed and to some extent, the
inflorescence of D. lancifolia Turcz. resemble those of D. spiralis, but there is no
similarity in vegetative morphology. Taken together, the spiral leaves, the presence
of stipules, the 1-2-flowered racemes, the truncate emarginate upper calyx lip and
the subulate inflexed supervolute keel readily distinguish D. spiralis from all other
Daviesia species.
Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Latin word spira, for anything coiled,
wreathed or twisted, and refers to the spirally twisted leaves.
Daviesia debilior Crisp, sp. nov. (Figure 2)
Frutex caulibus procumbentibus et ramulis ad 0.6 m debile adscendentibus; ramuli
pbyllodiaque prominenter costati; phyllodia in squamas ad nodes supernos vel in
planta omni deminuta, angulata compressa vel versus basin caulium complanata,
inermia; bracteae magnae, conebatae, imbricatae, alabastra includentes; calyx lobis
supernis binis fere ad apicem connatis; legumen oblique transversum-latum-
obtriangulare, sutura inferna integra. Ad D. hakeoidem Meisn. et D. junceam Sm.
arte cognata.
Typus: 13 km S of Eneabba-Lake Indoon road, from 7 km SW of Eneabba, 29°57’S,
115°12’E, 19 June 1977, C. Chapman (21B)77, fl. (holo: CBG; iso: K, PERTH).
Shrub with procumbent stems and many weakly ascending branchlets, to 0.6 m tall x
1.5 m broad; branchlets angular, 1-2 mm diam., prominently ribbed, even when fresh.
Juvenile phyllodes flat but thick, narrowly spathulate, 20-50 x 4-8 mm, with midrib,
thickened margins, and many ascending anastomosing raised veins; intermediate
phyllodes longer and narrower than juveniles, usually present at base of mature
plants. Adult phyllodes alternate, decurrent, reduced to minute scales at upper few
nodes or over the entire plant, ascending, angular or compressed, linear, mucronate,
unarmed, 0-120 x 0.4-2 mm, with several prominent ribs. Stipules minute or absent.
Racemes 1 per axil, 2-4-flowered, very condensed; rbachis to 2 mm long; bracts
numerous, shell-shaped, large, imbricate, enclosing buds, striate; bracts subtending
pedicels spreading, obovate, tridentate, c. 3 x c. 2 m. Pedicel filiform, 1-3 mm long.
Calyx obconical to campanulate, 1.5-2 mm long; upper two lobes more or less united
12
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
or with a very shallow sinus; lower three lobes triangular, acute, 0 . 2 - 0.4 mm long.
Standard transverse-broad-elliptic, emarginate, cordate, deeply centrally grooved, 5 -
5.5 X 6 - 6.5 mm on a 1.5 mm claw, yellow infused with purple-black or red towards the
centre and with a vertical yellow line towards the base in front, deep orange-pink to
purple behind; wings obovate, auriculate, clawed, apically incurved, orange-pink;
keel semicircular, falcate, with a long narrow pouch, acute, slightly auricled, clawed,
dark purple-red. Stamens with filaments equal, incurved; anthers basifixed,
alternately globular and narrow-ovoid. Ovary broadly stipitate; style subulate,
indexed. Pod strongly compressed, obliquely transverse-broad-obtriangular, shortly
acuminate, 14-17 x 9-10 mm; seed compressed, ovoid, 3.5 x 2.5 mm, tan with obscure
grey markings; hilum lateral; aril thickly lobed, 1.75 mm long.
20 mm
Figure 2. Daviesia debilior subsp. debilior (a-i). a — branchlet. b — juvenile phyllode. c — intermediate
phyllode. d — inflorescence, e — calyx opened out, upper lobes at left, f — standard, g — wing, b — keel, i — pod.
D. debilior subsp. sinuans (j-1). j — branchlet. k — seed, lateral view, radicular end downwards. 1 — seed, hilar
view.
a from the type, C. Chapman (21B)77; b — h from C. Chapman s.n., 17 May 1979 (CBG 8004030); i from
C. Chapman (66)77; j from E. H. Ising s.n., 10 Sep. 1926 (AD 97622028); k and 1 from H. Demarz 1854
(Kings Park), a-d, i and j drawn by A. Prowse.
M. D. Crisp, Daviesia
13
Etymology. The epithet is the comparative degree of the Latin adjective debilis,
meaning weak, and refers to the relatively feeble habit and unarmed phyllodes,
which distinguish the new species from its near relative D. hakeoides.
Affinity. Daviesia debilior belongs to an endemic Western Australian group with
numerous moderately enlarged imbricate bracts and frequently leafless branchlets.
This group is not to be confused with Daviesia series Involucratae (Endl.) Benth. in
which the bracts are few, enormous and leaf-like. There are several undescribed
species in the D. debilior group but most of these are easily distinguished. All but
one of the species in the group have a more erect, stronger habit than D. debilior. D.
hakeoides Meisn. and D. juncea Sm. non (Schrad. et Wendl.) Pers. are the only close
relatives ol D. debilior which have been previously described.
Daviesia hakeoides is easily recognized by its pungent phyllodes. Specimens of D.
hakeoides var. subnuda Benth. may appear leafless, but they always have some
pungent phyllodes at least 2-3 mm long, which is immediately obvious when a finger
is run down the branchlet. Daviesia hakeoides also differs from D. debilior in having
pods which are prominently beaked because the lower suture is indented near the
apex. In D. debilior subsp. debilior (q.v.) there is an abrupt transition from fully
developed phyllodes to minute scale leaves part- way up the branchlet (Figure 2a). By
contrast, the phyllodes of D. hakeoides var. hakeoides reduce gradually all the way
up the branchlet, this being the typical condition in the genus.
Daviesia juncea and a closely related undescribed species are leafless like D.
debilior subsp. sinuans (q.v.), but both differ from it in having larger flowers
(standard lamina 6.5-8 mm long, calyx 2.5-3 mm long), differently shaped calyces,
and branchlets which are more terete and striate than angular and ribbed.
Daviesia debilior includes two morphological variants which, because they have
parapatric distributions, are best treated as subspecies.
Key to subspecies
1. Phyllodes present at least on lower parts of branchlets
Phyllodes all reduced to minute scales
subsp. debilior
subsp. sinuans
subsp. debilior (Figure 2 a-i)
Branchlets gently upcurved, not or slightly sinuous, not glaucous; phyllodes
developed, except towards branchlet apices where they are abruptly reduced to
minute scales, angular or compressed, linear, up to 120 x 2 mm, prominently many-
Specimens selected from 15 examined. WESTERN AUSTRAT.TA- Trwin «o
14
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Distribution (Figure 3). Western Australia, Irwin and Darling districts; mainly
localised around Eneabba, also at Wannamal on the Geraldton Highway and at
Darlington near Perth.
Habitat. Subspecies debilior usually grows in shallow sand overlying lateritic gravel
and clay, although one collection was taken from gravelly clay with no sand. The
vegetation is heath, and there are usually several other Daviesia species present.
Flowering period. May to July. Fruiting period. September.
Conservation status. Vulnerable, coded 3V (criteria from Leigh, Briggs & Hartley,
1981). Although the subspecies is locally common in its occurrences around Eneabba,
all the sites are mere roadside relicts of the originally extensive heathland. Its extent
at the two southern localities is unknown, but is unlikely to be great, because only
one specimen has been obtained from each of these well-collected areas.
subsp. sinuans Crisp, subsp. nov. (Figure 2 j-1)
Ramuli sinuantes, ad apicem gracillimi (c. 0.5 mm diam.) interdum crispi,
aliquando glaucescentes; phylldia omnino in squamas redacta.
Branchlets very weakly ascending, becoming sinuous, occasionally glaucescent, the
tips usually very slender (c. 0.5 mm diam.) and occasionally curled; phyllodes all
reduced to scales.
Typus: 9 km from Wongan Hills town along road to Piawaning, 30°49'S, 116°39'E,
17 July 1980, M. D. Crisp 6518, fl., fr., spirit material, photos (holo: CBG; iso: AD, K,
L, MEL, NSW, PERTH).
Specimens selected from 15 seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Avon district: Coorow,
29°53'S, 116°01'E, B.C. Crisp 490 (CBG, PERTH); Walebing [ut Whalebing], A.M.
Ashby 5148 (AD, CBG); Lake Hinds [ut Hines], Wongan Hills, 10 Sep. 1926, E.H.
Ising s.n. (AD 97622028). Darling district: Mogumber, Moore River, 12 Nov. 1906,
A. Morrison s.n. (AD, K, MEL); 65 mile peg. Great Northern Highway, H. Demarz
1854 (Kings Park Botanic Garden, Perth).
Distribution. (Figure 3) Western Australia, Avon and Darling districts; from Coorow
south to the Moore River and east to Wongan Hills. This subspecies occurs farther
inland than subsp. debilior.
Habitat. Subspecies sinuans appears always to grow on gravelly lateritic clay. Its
type locality is also the type locality of D. spiralis (q.v.), and the site is described
under that species.
Flowering period. May to July. Fruiting period. October to November.
Conservation status. Vulnerable, coded 3V (criteria from Leigh, Briggs & Hartley,
1981). Of the six known occurrences of D. debilior subsp. sinuans, I am familiar only
with the type locality. There it is locally common, but perhaps less abundant than D.
spiralis. This subspecies also appears to be restricted to relict roadside vegetation in
otherwise cleared wheat-farming country.
15
M. D. Crisp, Daviesia
Morphological note. The specimen B. C. Crisp 483 has been included under D.
debilior subsp. dehilior, but shows some tendency towards subsp. sinuans. The
branchlets have longer leafless terminal portions than is usual for subsp. debilior. In
fact, one branchlet has the phyllodes reduced to scales along its entire 30 cm length.
In addition, this branchlet is strongly upcurved and almost sinuous. The specimen is
from Wannamal, close to localities of subsp. sinuans and farther inland than the
other localities of subsp. debilior (Figure 3).
Etymology. Tbe subspecific epithet refers to the tendency of the branchlets to
undulate, and is derived from the Latin verb sinuo, meaning bend, curve or wind.
Figure 3. Distribution of Daviesia debilior suhsp. debilior and subsp. sinuans.
Acknowledgements
This work forms part of a taxonomic revision of the genus Daviesia and was
assisted by several staff members of the National Botanic Gardens, Canberra. Tbe
field work was supported, in part, by a grant from the World Wildlife Fund,
16
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Australia. The illustrations were partly funded by the Bureau of Flora and Fauna,
and I thank Betsy Osborne and Anne Prowse for doing tbe drawings. I am especially
grateful to Mr Charles Chapman for his energetic field work, accurate observations,
and for his hospitality.
Reference
Leigh, J. H., Briggs, J. D. & Hartley, W. (1981). ‘Rare or Threatened Australian Plants.’ Australian
National Parks and Wildlife Service Special Publication 7.
Nuytsia4(l); 17-21 (1982)
17
A new species of Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) from the Wongan
Hills district, Western Australia
Stephen D. Hopper
Western Australian Wildlife Research Centre, P.O. Box 51, Wanneroo W.A. 6065
Abstract
Hopper, Stephen D. A new species of Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) from the Wongan Hills district.
Western Australia. Nuytsia 4(1): 17-21 (1982). Conostylis wonganensis Hopper is described and
illustrated. It is a rare endemic of the Wongan Hills district allied to C. teretiuscula F. Muell., C. dielsii W.
V. Fitzg. and C. caricina Lindl.
Introduction
The Wongan Hills contain one of the few moderately large vestiges of uncleared
land in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. They have outstanding
conservation values (Kenneally, 1977; Rye, 1980), but are potentially threatened by
mining and agricultural activities.
The following rare Conostylis is described as an addition to several accompanying
papers in this issue of Nuytsia that name plants endemic to the Wongan Hills
district.
Conostylis wonganensis Hopper, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Differt a C. teretiuscula F. Muell. folds glabris praeter spinos parvos marginis
dense pubescentes, ovula pauca in quoque loculo marginem inferiorem placentae
affixa, Differt a C. dielsii W. V. Fitzg. foliorum basibus glabris, caulibus florentibus
folds minus quam triple brevioribus.
Differs from C. teretiuscula F. Muell. in the leaves being glabrous except for small
densely pubescent marginal spines and in the few ovules per locule that are attached
on the lower side of the placenta. Differs from C. dielsii W. V. Fitzg. in the glabrous
leaf bases and in the flowering stems less than a third the length of the leaves.
Typus: 4.4 km NW of Wongan Hills town on road to Piawaning, 23 August 1976, S.
D. Hopper 427 per D. Coates (holo: PERTH; iso: AD, CANB, NSW).
Perennial herb, caespitose, small (to 20 cm tall by 10 cm basal diameter); rhizome
and stems short, bearing numerous crowded leaves and wiry roots 30 cm or more
long. Leaves to 17 cm long and 0.9 mm in diameter, erect, thin, terete, sulcate, pale
green except for their yellow-brown equitant bases, glabrous except for small densely
pubescent spines evenly spaced along the margins. Scape tomentose, 1-3 cm high,
less than a third the length of the leaves, 0.5-1. 0 mm in diameter, bearing less than
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Conostylis wonganensis. Top — holotype sheet (S. D. Hopper 427 per D. Coates).
Bottom — enlargement of upper right hand specimen on the holotype sheet.
CosttVr'
S. D. Hopper, Conostylis
19
10 flowers. Flowers creamy yellow, densely tomentose on all surfaces; perianth (5-)6(-
8) mm long; perianth lobes (3-)4.4(-6) mm long, 1.4-2. 1 mm broad at the base and
splayed at right angles to the tube when fresh; stamens uniseriate, inserted 0.6-
1.6 mm above the ovary on the perianth wall, filaments 0.5-0.9 mm long, anthers 1.8-
3.2’mm long; style 3. 3-6.9 mm long, the trilobate stigma held 2-3 mm above the
anthers; placenta with up to 5 ovules per locule, ovules all attached on the lower
placental surface. Seeds not seen.
Distribution. The south-west of Western Australia; known only from near Wongan
Hills and Manmanning.
Habitat. Occurs as scattered plants in species-rich heath with emergent Eucalyptus
pyriformis mallees and favouring yellow sand over clay or laterite on gradual slopes
high in the landscape.
Flowering season. Commences late July, peaks in August and finishes in early
September.
Other specimens examined (all housed at PERTH). WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
Wongan Hills. July 1963, Y. Chadwick 399; 4.2 km (2.6 mi) NW of Wongan Hills
towards Piawaning, 30°52'S, 116°41'E, 27 August 1976, R. Coveny 7808 and B. R.
Maslin (duplicate ex NSW); Smith’s farm + 2 km SW of Manmanning, 31 August
1976, A. S. George s.n.; about 3 km NW of Wongan Hills township along road to
Piawaning, 29 May 1978, S. D. Hopper 893; 3.6 km NW of Wongan Hills along road
to Piawaning, 30°52'S, 116°41'E, 1 September 1978, S. D. Hopper 1108.
Etymology. The species is named after the Wongan Hills district to which it is
endemic. It has the most restricted geographical distribution of any named
Conostylis. Hence a geographical reference in the specific epithet seems appropriate.
The affinities of this species are with Conostylis teretiuscula F. MuelL, C. dielsii
W. V. Fitzg. and C. caricina Lindl. (cf Green 1961). The four species now recognised
in this group all have distinctive creamy-yellow or cream flowers. Qualitative and
quantitative differences between these species are given in Table 1. The terete leaves
with glabrous bases and very small pubescent spines scattered along the margins are
diagnostic features of C. wonganensis easiest to perceive. It also has flowers that are
noticeably smaller than those of its relatives.
The oldest known specimen of C. wonganensis was collected by Y. Chadwick in
July 1963. The species was not collected again until 1976, when specimens were
obtained in the same month independently by D. J. Coates (23 August— holotype),
R. Coveny and B. R. Maslin (27 August), and A. S. George (31 August). The
distribution represented by these collections has not been extended subsequently,
despite fairly intensive field work in the area undertaken by the author since 1978.
Further surveys for C. wonganensis are needed before a sound understanding of its
conservation status is at hand, but it seems probable that the species is, indeed, a
very rare endemic of the Wongan Hills-Manmanning area. One of the known
populations extends partly into a Nature Reserve, while the other occurs in
uncleared tall heath surrounding a farm house on private land.
20 Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
'I’ABLE 1. A comparison of qualitative and quantitative character differences between Conostylis
wonganensis and related species.
Character*
C. wonganensis
C. teretiuscula
C. dielsii
C. caricina
1.
Ovule position
lower placenta
lower and lateral
placenta
lower placenta
entire placenta
2.
No. ovules/locule
5
15-20
5
20
3.
Leaf shape
terete
terete,
occasionally flat
flat-terete
flat
4.
Leaf bases
glabrous
glabrous
densely
tomentose
glabrous
5.
Leaf indumentum
minute
pubescent
marginal spines
densely to
sparsely
tomentose with
elongate hairs
sparsely
tomentose with
elongate hairs
glabrous
6.
Maximum leaf length
(mm) mean±SE
(N) range
112.5il2.3 (8)
75-140
17.9 ±14.8 (20)
98-380
114.2±5.9 (16)
72-155
158.2 ±8.5 (20)
76-215
7,
Leaf width (ram)
meaniSE (N)
range
0.7 i 0.04 (8)
0.6. -0.9
1.0 ±0.06 (20)
0.5-1.6
L2±0.7 (16)
0.8-1.8
2.5 ±0.2 (20)
0.9-5.3
8.
Leaf thickness (ram)
meaniSE (N)
range
0.6 ±0.03 (8)
0.5-0.7
0.6 ±0.04 (20)
0.3-0.9
0.4 + 0.03 (16)
0.2-0.7
0.9 + 0.1 (13)
0.4-1.2
9.
Stem length (mm)
meaniSE (N)
range
11.3i2.0 (8)
6-25
56.9 ±4.3 (20) 28-
98
69.0±5.9(16)
22-103
50.5 ±6.0 (20)
18-123
10.
Perianth length
(mm) meaniSE
(N) range
6.0i0.3(13)
4.1-1.%
9.5 ±0.2 (30)
7.4-11.4
8.5±0.2 (10)
7.5-10.0
12.1 ±0.3 (10)
10.5-13.4
11.
Style length (mm)
meaniSE (N)
range
4.3i0.2 (13)
3.3-6.9
7.1 ±0.1 (30)
5.9-8.5
7.4±0.2 (10)
6.2-8.6
8.2±0.3 (10)
7.2-9.5
12.
Anther length (mm)
meaniSE (N)
range
2.4i0.1 (13)
1.8-3.2
3.7±0.1 (30)
2.8-4.7
3.3±0.0(10)
2.8-3.7
5.0±0,2 (10)
4.3-5.7
13.
Filament length
(mm) meaniSE
(N) range
0.6i0.1 (13)
0.2-1. 1
0.9±0.1 (30)
0.5-1.5
0.1 ±0.2 (10)
0.0-0.7
3.1±0.1 (10)
0.1-0.9
14.
Height above ovary
to filaments (mm)
meaniSE (N)
range
l.li0.0(13)
0.6-1.6
1.6±0.0 (30)
0.9-2.3
2.6±0.1 (10)
2.0-4.3
3.7±0.2 (10)
2.1-4.1
15.
Perianth lobe length
(mm) mean i SE
(N) range
4.4i0.2 (13)
3.1-5.7
7.5±0.1 (30)
5.8-8.9
5.0±0.1 (10)
4.0-5.9
7.9±0.2 (10)
6.6-9.0
16.
Lobe basal width
(mm) meaniSE
(N) range
1.7 ±0.0 (13)
1.4-2.1
1.9 ±0.0 (30)
1.6-2.2
1.8±0.0(10)
1.4-2.2
2.8±0.2 (10)
2.1-3.2
‘Characters 1-9 were measured on the following specimens at PERTH (SE = standard error, N = sample
size):
C. wonganensis — Chadwick, Y. 399; Coveny, R. 7808; George, A. S. s.n.; Hopper, S. D. 427, 1108.
C. teretiuscula — Beard, J. S. 1640; Blackall, W. E. 3613, 4423; George, A. S. 7842; Hartley, G. 13941;
Hopper, S. D. 441, 442, 443, 628, 638, 639, 641, 643, 644, 645, 647, 653; Morrison, s.n.; Salisbury, s.n.
C. dielsii—Ashhv, A. M. 3279; Diels, L. Bi22, s.n.; Hopper, S. D. 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436,
437, 438, 439, 440.
C. caricina — Blackall, W. E. s.n.; Canning, E. 3732; Cranfield, R. s.n.; Fairall, A. 316; George, A. 14338;
Green, J. IV. 486, 489, 587; Hopper, S. D. 370, 371, 372, 373, 888, s.n.; Koch, M. 1698; Paust, S. 1002; Roster,
S. 328; Royce, R. 3834, 4316; Scrymgeour, E. 2083.
Characters 10-16 were measured on fresh flowers preserved in F.A.A. from the following localities:
C. wonganensis — Wongan Hills, voucher S. D. Hopper 421 (PERTH); C. teretiuscula — Mimegarra, voucher
S. D, Hopper (PERTH); C. dielsii — W of Arrino, voucher S. D. Hopper 436 (PERTH); C.
caricina — Parkerville, voucher S. D. Hopper 373 (PERTH).
S. D. Hopper, Conostylis
21
There is no information yet available on the reproductive biology of C.
wonganensis, other than its flowering period which extends from late July to early
September. Further work in this area, particularly in relation to fire responses, may
facilitate successful management of the species on the Nature Reserve at Wongan
Hills.
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to Dr D. J. Coates for drawing my attention to the new species, to Mr
B. R. Maslin for commenting on the manuscript and to Mr P. G. Wilson for
providing the latin diagnosis. Dr J. W. Green kindly made available facilities at the
Western Australian Herbarium. The project was funded by the Western Australian
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Mr T. J. Fetherstonhaugh measured
specimens for the data in Table 1.
References
Green, -J. W. (1961). The genus Conostylis R. Br. 11. Taxonomy. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 85: 334-373.
Kenneally K. F. (Co-ordinator) (1977). ‘The Natural History of the Wongan Hills.’ Handbook No. 11 (W.A.
Naturalists’ Club: Perth.)
Rye, B. L. (1980). Wongan Hills species. Rare and Geographically Restricted Plants of Western Australia.
4. West. Aust. Dept Fish. Wildl. Unpublished Rept.
Nuytsia 4(1): 23-27 (1982)
23
A new species of Microcorys (Lamiaceae) from the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia
Kevin F. Kenneally
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Kenneally, Kevin F. A new species of Microcorys (Lamiaceae) from the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia. Nuytsia 4(1): 23-27 (1982). A new species Microcorys eremophiloides Kenneally (Lamiaceae),
is described and illustrated from the Wongan Hills, Western Australia where it appears to be endemic. It
was formerly incorrectly referred to M. longifolia (Bebtg.) Benth,
Introduction
The genus Microcorys R.Br. (Lamiaceae) is endemic to the south-west of Western
Australia. Two species, M. ericifoUa Benth. and M. longifolia (Benth.) Benth., are
recorded for the Wongan Hills (Kenneally, 1977). An examination of type material at
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, has revealed that the species from the
Wongan Hills, formerly referred to M. longifolia, is a distinct taxon. It requires
describing in order to provide a name for the purpose of flora protection and to
validate its inclusion in an updated flora list for the Hills.
Taxonomy
Microcorys eremophiloides Kenneally, sp. nov. (Figures 1 and 2)
M. longifolia (Benth.) Benth. affinis sed floribus duplo longioribus, corollae labio
superiore labio inferiore multo longiore etiam lobis labii inferioris acutis (baud
obtusis).
Typus: Eastern Edge of the Wongan Hills (c. 30°50'S 116°40'E), W of Conway’s
property “Dunmoor”, approx. 15 km N of township of Wongan Hills, Western
Australia, 27 October 1980, K. F. Kenneally 7497 (holo: PERTH; iso; AD, CANB, K,
MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH).
Erect, openly-branched shrub to 2 m high. Stems with slightly fissured bark when
young, becoming deeply fissured and corky with age. Branches and young shoots
hoary with a minute tomentum. Leaves opposite, often crowded towards the ends of
the terminal branchlets, linear, 30-60 x 1-3 mm, sessile, obtuse, with revolute
margins, minutely scabrous arbove becoming glabrous with age, hoary or white
tomentose underneath. Flowers axillary. Pedicels slender, sigmoid, 1 cm long, with a
pair of linear-subulate bracteoles 3 mm long, 3 mm below the calyx. Calyx narrow-
cylindrical, ca 10-15 mm long, puberulous with a mixture of glandular and simple
hairs; teeth lanceolate, equal to or shorter than the tube, the uppermost tooth
usually larger than the others. Corolla 4 cm long, deep pink to red, slightly glandular-
pubescent; tube exserted, cylindrical, somewhat dilated upward; upper lip narrow.
16559 — ( 3 )
24
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
K. F. Kenneally, Microcorys
25
concave, slightly emarginate, somewhat shorter than the tube; lower lip much shorter
than the upper lip, spreading, with three acute, entire lobes. Stamens four, included;
upper stamens with one large fertile cell, lower end of connective 5 mm long and
dilated at the end but scarcely bearded; lower stamens with two linear sterile lobes.
Nutlets dry, cylindrical, 3-4 mm long, irregularly ribbed, dark brown.
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: J. Drummond s.n. (K);
Wongan Hills, 7 Oct. 1903, A. Morrison s.n. (PERTH); 8 km NW Wongan Hills
township, 17 Sept. 1963, J. H. Willis s.n. (PERTH); Monks Well Gully in the
Wongan Hills, K. F. Kenneally 2281 (PERTH); PMG site (TV translator tower) in
the Wongan Hills, J. S. Beard 8017 (PERTH).
Distribution. South-west Western Australia (Avon District, South-west Botanical
Province — Beard, 1980); known only from the Wongan Hills, c. 140 km NE Perth.
Habitat. Favouring shallow soil over massive laterite where it occurs as scattered
plants in closed heath of Casuarina campestris and Dryandra spp. with emergent
Eucalyptus drummondii and E. ebbanoensis mallees.
Flowering season. Commences early September, peaks in October and finishes in
early November.
Fruiting season. The four nutlets remain attached, surrounded by the calyx, until
late February.
Etymology. The species is named from the resemblance of the flowers to those of the
genus Eremophila.
Microcorys eremophiloides superficially resembles M. longifolia and was formerly
incorrectly referred to this species. The type of M. longifolia is a specimen collected
by Karl von Huegel from the “Swan River” (Bentham, 1837). Huegel visited Western
Australia in 1833 and in the period 27 November-19 December collected in the
vicinity of Perth and Fremantle (Napier, 1975). On 5 December, in company with J.
S. Roe the Surveyor General, he made a collecting expedition through Ellens
Valley— the present Helena Valley on the edge of the Darling Scarp. This is most
likely the type locality for M. longifolia as it is known to occur in the Helena Valley
and appears to be restricted to the Scarp.
Bentham (1837) originally placed M. longifolia in Hemigenia. When in 1848 he
transferred it to Microcorys he amended his description to include characters found
in a specimen collected by James Drummond (coll. 2, no. 214). Amongst the Kew
material is an additional unnumbered Drummond collection, not cited by Bentham,
but determined by him as M. longifolia, which is in fact M. eremophiloides.
Drummond’s second collection, sent to Hooker at Kew in August 1844, consisted of
four hundred specimens and included material from the Darling Scarp. However in
January 1843 Drummond had already sent to Hooker a collection of one hundred
and thirty specimens collected from the Wongan Hills and Moore River (Erickson,
1969). It is very probable that the specimen of M. eremophiloides collected by
Drummond came from the Wongan Hills and that Bentham (1848, 1870) included
this entity when preparing his description of M. longifolia for de Candolle’s
Prodromus and his own Flora Australiensis.
26
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 2. Microcorya eremophiloides. Occurrence in shallow soil over massive laterite, Wongan Hills,
Western Australia.
K. F. Kenneally, Microcorys
27
Microcorys eremophiloides is the largest-flowered species so far described in the
genus and belongs to Bentham’s section Hemigenioides. Its closest relative is
Microcorys longifolia from which it can be distinguished by its flowers which are
twice as large, and by the upper lip of the corolla being much longer than the lower
lip. The three lobes of the lower lip of the corolla are acute in M. eremophiloides and
obtuse in M. longifolia. The leaves of M. eremophiloides tend to be crowded towards
the ends of the terminal branchlets whereas young branches of M. longifolia are leafy
throughout.
Microcorys eremophiloides is endemic to the Wongan Hills where only five
populations, comprising approximately 200 mature plants, are known. About half of
the plants occur on privately owned uncleared farming land and half on a Class A
flora and fauna reserve (No. 33530) vested with the W.A. Wildlife Authority (B.
Rye — pers. comm.). The conservation status of M. eremophiloides must therefore be
considered as very rare (Hartley and Leigh, 1979).
Acknowledgements
The opportunity to examine Microcorys type material at the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, England was made possible by a Churchill Fellowship. The Winston
Churchill Memorial Trust is gratefully acknowledged. The author also extends his
thanks to the Director and staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England for
their advice and assistance.
Mr P. G. Wilson kindly provided the latin diagnosis and made many helpful
suggestions during the preparation of this paper.
The illustration was prepared by Joyce McMahon.
References
Beard, J. S. (1980). A new phytogeographic map of Western Australia. Western Australian Herbarium
Research Notes No. 3: 37-.5'8.
Bentham, G. (1837). Labiatae. In S. L. Endlicher, E, Fenzl, G. Bentham and H. W. Schott ‘Enumeratio
plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae . . . Huegel.’ (Fr. Beck: Wien.)
Bentham, G. (1848). Labiatae. In A.P. de Candolle, Prodromus systematls naturalis regni vegetabilis 12:
568. (Treuttel & Wurtz: Paris.)
Bentham. G. (1870). Labiatae. Flora Australiensis 5: 70-137. (Reeve: London.)
Erickson, R. (1969). ‘The Drummonds of Hawthornden.’ (Lamb Paterson Pty. Ltd.: Osborne Park,
Western Au.stralia.)
Hartley, W. and Leigh, .1. (1979). ‘Plants at risk in Australia.’ Australian National Parks and Wildlife
Service. Occasional Paper No. 3.
Kenneally, K. F. (Co-ordinator) (1977). ‘The natural history of the Wongan Hills.’ Handbook No. 11 (W.A.
Naturalists’ Cllub: Perth.)
Napier, K. D. (1975). New Holland in Europe. Early Days Journal VII (VII): 55-68.
Nuytsia 4(1): 29-46 (1982)
29
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) — 10.
Acacia species of the Wongan Hills, Western Australia
By B. R. Maslin
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A 6151
Abstract
Maslin B R Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae)— 10. Acacia species of the
Wongan Hills, Western Australia. Nuytsia 4(p; 29-46 (1982). Two new Acacia species endemic to the
Wongan Hills, A. botrydion sp. nov. (section Phyllodineae) and A. pharangites sp. nov. (section
Plurinerves) are described and illustrated. An emended description of A. semicircinalis Maiden et Blakelv
IS provided as this species and A. botrydion were formerly confounded. Notes are provided on a
morphological variant of A. acuaria W. V. Fitzg. (section Phyllodineae) and also on a taxon allied to A.
obovata Benth. (section Phyllodineae). Both these taxa are confined to the Hills. A checklist to the 28
Acacia species recorded for the Wongan Hills is provided. Analysis of the distributions of Wongan Hills
Acacias ^owed that all Western Australian extra-tropical sections of the genus were represented there.
Section Phyllodineae comprised 14 species, section Plurinerves seven species, section Juliflorae five
species, section Alatae two species and section Pulchellae one species. A majoritv of the Wongan Hills
Acacia species were confined to, and widespread within, the South-West Botanical Province. The south-
western geographical affinities were supported from an examination of the taxonomically closest relatives
ot Wongan Hills Acacias where these affinities could be determined. Most Wongan Hills species appeared
origin, very few relict taxa being present. Endemism in the area proved to be relatively low
The Wongan Hills emerged as an important conservation site in the central wheatbelt.
Taxonomy of some Wongan Hills Acacia species
The following notes and descriptions apply to those Wongan Hills Acacia species
which are currently recognized as being in need of taxonomic clarification. Two new
species, A. botrydion and A. pharangites, are described and illustrated, an emended
description of A. semicircinalis is given, and notes on two variants, A. acuaria-variant
and A. aff. obovata, are provided. The taxa are numbered and arranged
alphabetically and a list of all collections seen is given at the end of the paper.
1. Acacia acuaria W. V. Fitzg. — variant.
This taxon is obviously related to A. acuaria (which also occurs in the Wongan
Hills) but differs in its smaller legumes and its sparsely puberulous phyllodes which
are slightly broader and which have recurved apices. In the absence of a detailed
taxonomic investigation, formal rank is not here given to this variant. However,
present indications are that at best it will be afforded infraspecific rank.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from the Wongan Hills near Mount Rupert on
a lateritic plateau in open scrub dominated by mallee eucalypts.
Flowering and fruiting period. Judging from the very few specimens seen, flowering
occurs around August-September and legumes mature in December-January.
30
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: West side of Mount Rupert homestead,
Wongan Hills, 30°49'S, 116°38'E, K. F. Kenneally 5875 (PERTH); South side of old
Mount Rupert homestead, 6 km north of the Wongan Hills-Piawaning Road, K. F.
Kenneally 6896 (CANB, PERTH).
2. Acacia botrydion Maslin, sp. nov. (Figures 1, 3A and 3B)
Acacia semicircinalis Maiden et Blakely, J. Roy. Soc.W. Austral. 13:11 (1928), pro
parte, not as to lectotype, as to Wongan Hills, 7 Oct. 1903, A. Morrison s.n.
(NSW — lectoparatype) and pl.8, f.6.
Frutex rigidus, diffusus, intricatus, 0.5-1. 3 altus. Cortex cineraceus. Rami et ramuli
spinescentes, hispiduli; ramuli ahhreviati, divaricati. Phyllodia asymmetrice elliptica
a late-elliptica, 9-15 mm longa, 4-12 mm lata, aliquantum undulata, hispidula, 1-
nervata. Inflorescentia racemosus vel interdum ad apices ramulorum paniculata oh
phyllodia reducta; pedunculi c. 10 mm longi, didymi; capitula globulosa, c. 40
florihus. Florae 5-merae. Sepala lineari-spathulata. Petals glabra. Legumina
circinata, submoniliformia, ad 4 cm longa ubi extensa, c. 4 mm lata. Semina (aliquot
visa) in legumine longitudinalia, 3. 5-4. 5 mm longa, 2.5-3 mm lata, nigra.
Typus: About 12.5 km NW of Wongan Hills townsite towards Piawaning, Western
Australia. “Harsh shrub to 1.3 m tall; branches smooth, light grey; branchlets
spinescent; heads golden yellow; inflorescences not prolific, terminal on branchlets,
axes red; phyllodes dull green, margins and tips orange to red. Laterite.” 9 Sept.
1975, B. R. Maslin 3805 (holo: PERTH; iso: BRI, CANB, G, K, MEL, NSW, NY,
PERTH).
Harsh, craggy, diffuse, intricately branched shrubs 0.5- 1.3 m tall, domed and
spreading to c. 3 m diam. in exposed areas, main stems sparingly branched near base.
Bark light grey, smooth. Branches slightly flexuose, terete, obscurely nerved,
hispidulous (hairs minutely tubercule-based), the apices together with the short
divaricate branchlets are ± spinescent and frequently devoid of phyllodes. Stipules
triangular, 0.5-1 mm long, dark brown. Phyllodes asymmetrically elliptic to widely
so, 9-15 mm long, 4-12 mm wide, length to width ratio 1-2, somewhat undulate,
patent to slightly ascending, hispidulous, dark green to subglaucous, margins
yellowish to orange-red; apex acutely mucronulate (mucro hooked or sometimes
straight); midrib and marginal nerves evident, lateral nerves very obscure; pulvinus
very reduced; gland not prominent, often apparently absent, when present situated
on adaxial margin of phyllode 3-5 mm above the pulvinus. Inflorescences dense,
showy, 1-2 per node, racemose or sometimes appearing paniculate towards the ends
of the branchlets due to phyllode reduction; raceme axis 5-20 mm long, red-brown,
sparsely hispidulous, supporting up to 5 pairs of pedunculate flower-heads; basal
peduncular bracts solitary, triangular, c. 0.5 mm long; peduncles twinned, c. 10 mm
long, red-brown, sparsely hispidulous. Flower-heads globular, light golden, c. 40-
flowered; bracteoles linear-spathulate, c. 1.5 mm long, glabrous, claw pale, lamina
brown. Flowers 5-merous, 2.5 mm long, glabrous; calyx 2/3 length of corolla, divided
to base into narrow linear-spathulate sepals; petals nerveless and glabrous. Legumes
circinate. submoniliform, to 4 cm long (expanded length), c. 4 mm wide, slightly
resinous, red -brown, glabrous, very finely longitudinally wrinkled when dry, margins
barely thickened. Seeds (few seen) longitudinal in legume, irregularly ellipsoid,
turgid but sometimes slightly compressed, 3. 5-4. 5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, dull,
black; pleurogram very obscure, ‘u’-shaped, open towards the hilum; areole minute,
c. 0.5 X 0.6 mm; funicle filiform, minute, abruptly expanded into quite a large fleshy
yellowish aril situated on top of the seed and folded once near the hilar end.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
31
15 mm ,
8.R.M.
i<i8o
Figure 1. Acacia botrydion. A — Portion of branch showing the short, divaricate, spinescent branchlets and
the clustering of inflorescences towards the end of the branch. B — Undulate phyllode. C — Legume.
D — Seed. E — Flower showing linear-spathulate sepals.
A, B and E from B. R. Maslin 3382; C and D from B. R. Maslin 4429.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from the Wongan Hills where it is relatively
common on lateritic hills and often associated with species such as Eucalyptus
ebbanoensis, Melaleuca undulata and Phebalium brachycalyx.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers from July to September. Legumes with
mature seeds have been collected in December and January.
32
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Other specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: The Wongan Hills, top of Fowlers
Gully on laterite cap, 21 July 1974, K. F. Kenneally s.n. (PERTH); 9 km NE of the
township Wongan Hills on the Piawaning Road, 1 Sept. 1980, K. F. Kenneally s.n.
(PERTH); 12.5 km from Wongan Hills township towards Piawaning, B. R. Maslin
3382 (AD, B, PERTH); The Wongan Hills, B. R. Maslin 4206 and 4429 (both
PERTH); Northern end of the Wongan Hills, Mt. Rupert Station, B. R. Maslin 4547
(AD, PERTH); 7 mi (11.3 km) NW of Wongan Hills on the road to Piawaning, M. D.
Tindale 2794 (NSW, PERTH).
Acacia botrydion is placed in section Phyllodineae and appears to be most closely
allied to A. semicircinalis (see below) with which it is sympatric and with which it
has frequently been confused. Indeed, Maiden and Blakely’s (1928) description of A.
semicircinalis was based on elements of both taxa necessitating lectotypification and
an emended description in the present work (see p. 34 below). Besides being
sympatric in the Wongan Hills, A. botrydion and A. semicircinalis possess globular
flower-heads and 1 -nerved, undulate phyllodes which are very similar in shape and
size. It is these features which seem to have led to the past confusion between the
two. Acacia botrydion, however, is readily distinguished from A. semicircinalis in the
following ways. It is a harsher, more craggy and intricately branched shrub which
forms bushes to 1.3 m tall. It has light grey bark and numerous short, divaricate,
coarsely spinescent lateral branches which are frequently devoid of phyllodes. Acacia
semicircinalis on the other hand is a more wiry, sprawling, diffuse, open shrub often
with long prostrate branches which are sparsely divided and which lack the short,
coarsely spinescent branchlets of A. botrydion, its bark is reddish brown.
Additionally A. botrydion has terminal clusters of racemes or panicles which form
brilliant bright golden floral aggregates at flowering which occurs between July and
September. Acacia semicircinalis on the other hand has inflorescences which are less
conspicuous and more scattered along the branches. Its principal flowering period is
from September to January, however, a few flowers can usually be found throughout
most of the year. Acacia botrydion has distinctly circinate legumes while those of A.
semicircinalis, besides being broader and not moniliform, are only gently curved. The
phyllodes and branch apices in A. botrydion are always minutely hispidulous while
in A. semicircinalis they may be either glabrous or minutely hispidulous.
The specific epithet alludes to the inflorescences which are bunched at the ends of
the branches.
3. Acacia aff. obovata Benth.
Glabrous sub-shrubs to 0.4 (0.7) m tall. Phyllodes elliptic-obovate, 1.5-3 cm long,
0.7-2 cm wide, bright green, apiculate, midrib obvious, frequently a minor second
longitudinal nerve is present; gland small and insignificant. Inflorescences simple
and axillary. Flower-heads white, c. 3-flowered. Flowers 4-merous; ovary one per
flower, stipitate. Legumes narrow-oblong, 2-3 cm long, c. 5 mm wide, rather woody,
flat, margins thickened.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from a single locality in the Wongan Hills
where it grows in crevices of laterite conglomerate on a hill south-east of Mount
Matilda. The vegetation at this locality is dense and dominated by Casuarina
campestris, Dryandra comosa, D. hewardiana, D. pulchella. Eucalyptus ebbanoensis
and Isopogon divergens.
Flowering and fruiting period. Judging from the specimens at hand the main
flowering period is from about March to May. Legumes with near-mature seeds have
been collected in late October.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
33
Specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: (All from the same population and all
housed at PERTH.) K. F. Kenneally 5891, 7194 and 7496; B. R. Maslin 4550, 4550A
and 4804.
The affinities of this taxon are clearly with A. myrtifolia and its allies, e.g. A.
celastrifolia, A. obovata, A. nervosa, and a number of undescribed taxa from Western
Australia. A treatment of this group will be the subject of a forthcoming paper and in
this work the taxonomic status of this variant will be further considered. Present
indications are that it may well constitute a distinct species.
4. Acacia pharangites Maslin, sp. nov. (Figures 2, 3C and ,3D)
Frutex ad 3(4) alta, aliquantum gracilis. Rami glabri. Stipulae deciduae. Phyllodia
linearia-teretia, 1.5-4 cm longa, c. 1 mm lata, ascendentia, aliquantum rigida, +
glaucescentia, glabra, 7-nervata, aliquantum pungentia. Inflorescentia racemus
brevissimus; pedunculi c. 10 mm longi; bracteae basales peduncuU, 1. 5-2.5 mm
longae; capitula obloidea, 7-10 mm longa, 5-6 mm lata, c. 25 floribus; bracteolis in
capitala juveni conspicuis. Florae 5-merae. Calyx irregulariter lobatus. Petala glabra.
Legumina anguste-oblonga, ad 6.5 cm longa, c. 4 mm lata, leviter undulata,
glaucescentia, glabra. Semina in legumine longitudinalia, 3-3.5 x c. 2.5 x c. 2 mm,
nigra, nitentia; arillus clavatus.
Typus: In the W ongan Hills, 18.5 km NW of Wongan Hills townsite towards
Piawaning, 30° 50'S, 116° 39'E, Western Australia. “A somewhat spindly, open
shrub to 4 m tall; phyllodes smooth, terete, ascending, subglaucous; heads golden;
bark grey, slightly roughened. In red-brown clay in a gully”. 28 Aug. 1976, B R
Maslin 4205 (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, NY).
Somewhat spindly, open, erect shrubs to 3(4) m tall, with main stems sparingly
branched near base and phyllodes concentrated towards ends of branches. Bark grey,
slightly roughened. Branches marked with raised scars of fallen phyllodes, terete,
finely nerved, glabrous. New shoots arising at distal end of a very reduced raceme
axis and subtended by a few scarious light-brown striate glabrous but marginally
white-fimbriate early deciduous bracts. Stipules imbricate in vegetative bud, very
early deciduous, connate, light brown, striate, glabrous but apically fimbriate,
margins slightly revolute, apex cleft. Phyllodes linear -terete, slightly narrowed
towards the base, 1.5-4 cm long, c. 1 mm wide, straight to slightly curved, ascending,
rather rigid, smooth and turgid when fresh but finely wrinkled upon drying, +
glaucescent, glabrous; nerves seven (three abaxial with only the central one
extending wholly from the apex to the pulvinus, two lateral and two adaxial), neither
prominent nor raised when fresh, yellowish upon drying; apex mucronulate, mucro
yellowish or brown and somewhat pungent; pulvinus yellowish when fresh, brown
and finely transversely wrinkled when dry; gland situated on adaxial surface
(between the two adaxial nerves) above the middle of the phyllode, not prominent.
Inflorescences extremely reduced axillary racemes of 1(2) pedunculate flower-heads,
the axis c. 0.5 mm long and terminated by a young vegetative shoot; basal
peduncular bract relatively large (1.5-2.5 mm long), deciduous, scarious, brown,
striate, auriculate at base, cleft at apex; peduncles c. 10 mm long, glabrous. Flower-
heads obloid, /-10 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, golden, c. 25-flowered; bracteoles
conspicuously overtopping flowers in inflorescence bud, the claw less than 0.5 mm
long, the lamina ovate 1.5-2 mm long c. 1 mm wide concave scarious finely striate
brown white-fimbriate and sparsely puberulous abaxially near the base. Flowers 5-
merous; calyx irregularly lobed, (1)2 lobes triangular and very reduced, the
remaining lobes longer oblong dissected for 1/2-3/4 their length and sparsely ciliolate
34
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
at the apex; petals glabrous, obscurely 1 -nerved. Legumes pendulous, narrowly
oblong, to 6.5 cm long, c. 4 mm wide, slightly undulate, dark brown, glaucescent,
glabrous, abruptly narrowed at both ends, prominently raised over the seeds with the
umbo rounded and alternately more pronounced on one side of the legume than on
the other; margins very slightly thickened, slightly but variably constricted between
seeds. Seeds longitudinal in legume, irregularly ellipsoid but truncate along edge
adjacent to aril, turgid, 3-3.5 mm long, c. 2.5 mm wide, c. 2 mm thick, black, shiny;
pleurogram obscure, with a narrow opening towards the hilum; areole minute, c.
0.5 X 0.3 mm; funicle minute, abruptly expanded into a clavate yellowish ± straight
aril which is c. 3 mm long and which extends 1/3-1/2 down one side of the seed.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from the Wongan Hills where it grows along
two or three sheltered gullies in rocky (greenstone) red-brown clay flanking
seasonally dry creeks and also in grey sand oY the creek beds themselves. The species
is not common on the high ridges associated with these watercourses. Normally A.
pharangites is of scattered occurrence and only rarely does it form dense stands. It
occurs in dense scrub 3-4 m tall, dominated by Calothamnus asper, Casuarina
acutivalvis and Melaleuca radula with sparse ground cover.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers in August; legumes with mature seed have
been collected from mid-December to mid-January.
Other specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA; 18.5 km NW of Wongan Hills
towards Piawaning, R. Conveny 7847 and B. R. Maslin (CANS, K, MEL, NSW,
PERTH, UC, US); Base of T.V. Translator Tower, Wongan Hills, 30° 50'S, 116°
38'E, K. F. Kenneally 7161 (PERTH); The Wongan Hills, B. L. Rye 8001 (AD, BM,
BRI, G, PERTH); The Wongan Hills, B. R. Maslin 4427 (K, PERTH).
Acacia pharangites is difficult to place in the existing classifications of the genus.
Its obloid flower-heads suggest inclusion in section Juliflorae, however, it is
apparently not closely related to any other member of this group. Its general
phyllode and legume morphology is similar to that of the south coastal species A.
tetanophylla (section Plurinerves) but the two species are not particularly closely
related. Acacia pharangites differs in its taller habit, reduced racemose
inflorescences, obloid flower-heads, larger bracteoles and irregularly divided calyx.
Additionally, the arrangement of the phyllode nervature in the two species is
different. Although both species have 7-nerved phyllodes the two adaxial nerves in
A. tetanophylla unite immediately above tbe gland. This does not occur in A.
pharangites (compare Figure 2 here with Figure 6 in Maslin, 1977)- Upon drying the
phyllodes of A. pharangites are less sulcate than those of A. tetanophylla. Its lack of
no close relatives indicates that A. pharangites should be considered a relict species.
Only about 400 individuals of A. pharangites are known to exist (Barbara Rye,
pers. comm.). Considering also that the species has a very restricted range and
appears to be very habitat-specific the existing populations must be afforded
suitable protection in order to prevent the possible extinction of this unusual taxon.
The specific epithet alludes to the species gully habitat.
5. Acacia semicircinalis Maiden et Blakely, J. Roy. Soc. W. Austral. 13:11 pi. 8
(1928). Lectotype: Wongan Hills, 3 Oct. 1903, A. Morrison s.n. (NSW; iso: K), lecto.
nov. (Lectoparatype: Wongan Hills, 7 Oct. 1903, A. Morrison s.n. — see A. botrydion
sp. nov. above.)
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
35
Figure 2. Acacia pharangitcs. A Inflorescence bud showing the conspicuous bracteoles overtopping the
flowers and the large, cleft basal bract. B— Bracteoles. C— Flowers (back and front views) showing the
irregular lobing of the calyx. D — Phyllode (reconstituted) showing the two adaxial nerves. E Seed
F — Legumes. G — Portion of branch showing obloid flower-heads.
A, B, C, D and G from B. R. Maslin 4205 (the Type); E and F from B. R. Maslin 4427.
36
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 3. A and B: A. butrydion (A — habit; B — branch showing short, divaricate, spinescent branchlets). C
and D: A pharangites. All photographed in situ in the Wongan Hills.
V/iry, open, diffuse shrubs to c. 1 m tall, often with sprawling prostrate branches.
Branches ± straight, terete, finely nerved, reddish brown to light brown, slightly
shiny, sometimes sparsely verriculose, glabrous or sparsely hispidulous, terminally
coarsely pungent but lacking the short divaricate ± spinescent branchlets of A.
botrydion. Phyllodes asymmetrically oblong-elliptic, 10-20 mm long, 5-9 mm wide,
length to width ratio 1.5-3, slightly to obviously undulate, ascending at c. 45° from
the branch, glabrous to hispidulous, light olive green to subglaucous, margins
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
37
yellowish; base unequal; apex obtuse or acute, mucronulate, the mucro minute acute
indurate often slightly laterally positioned and straight or slightly hooked; midrib
evident (raised when dry), centrally situated or slightly excentric, frequently
yellowish, lateral veins few and obscure; gland very obscure, 0.5-2 mm above the
base. Inflorescences scattered, 1(2) per node, either arising within axil of immature
phyllodes at the ends of the branchlets, or alternatively, arising within the axil of
mature phyllodes then consisting of a minute raceme of 1(2) pedunculate flower-
heads borne on an extremely minute raceme axis terminated by a vegetative shoot,
at anthesis this axis grows out and further peduncles may arise and reach anthesis
before maturation of their subtending phyllode, this structure then resembles a short
raceme 1-2 cm long; basal peduncular bract solitary; peduncles 5-13 mm long,
glabrous or sparsely hispidulous, a small deciduous triangular bract normally occurs
near or above the middle of the peduncle. Flower-heads globular, bright golden, c.
25-flowered. Flowers c. 2 mm long; calyx divided to base into 5 (rarely 4 or 7 in a few
flowers) linear-spathulate sepals which are sparsely puberulous at the apex; petals 5,
glabrous, nerveless. Legumes gently curved (not circinate), raised over but not (or
barely) constricted between seeds, to 6 cm long and 6 mm wide, not resinous,
reddish-brown, glabrous, finely longitudinally wrinkled when dry, at base narrowed
into a stipe c. 5 mm long, at apex abruptly contracted; margins barely thickened.
Seeds (seen only from near-mature spirit material) longitudinal in legume, obloid-
ellipsoid, c. 6 mm long and 3.5-4 mm wide, turgid; pleurogram obscure, continuous;
areole circular, 0.5-1 mm diam.; funicle minute (c. 1 mm long) and filiform, abruptly
expanded into a large white to yellowish fleshy aril situated on top of the seed and
with a short fold near the hilar end.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from the region of Wongan Hills where it is
seemingly confined to lateritic hills. It has been recorded from about 3 km north-
west of the Wongan Hills township west to the Wongan Hills themselves.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers principally from September to January but a
few flowers can usually be found throughout most of the year. Legumes containing
near-mature seeds have been collected in late November and in January.
Other specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 18.5 km (11.5 mi) NW of Wongan
Hills towards Piawaning, 30° 50'S, 116° 39'E, R. Coveny 7841 and B. R. Maslin
(CANB, K, NSW, PERTH) and 7842 (K, NSW, PERTH); Gully adjacent to Fowlers
Gully, Wongan Hills, 30° 49'S, 116° 38'E, K. F. Kenneally 2413 (K, MEL, NSW,
PERTH); Wongan Hills, 2 km S Wongan Hills-Piawaning Road, K. F. Kenneally
7160 (PERTH); 2 mi (3.4 km) out of Wongan Hills towards Piawaning, F. Lullfitz
L1653 (PERTH); 4.5 mi (7 km) NW of Wongan Hills township towards Elphin, B. R.
Maslin 134 and 1635 (both PERTH); About 12.5 km NW of Wongan Hills township
towards Piawaning, B. R. Maslin 3804 (CANB, PERTH); The Wongan Hills, B. R.
Maslin 4428 (C.N.R.S.*, PERTH); The Wongan Hills, south-east of Mount Matilda
on Conway’s property, B. R. Maslin 4806 (PERTH).
The original description of A. semicircinalis was based on two un-numbered
Morrison collections from the Wongan Hills, one in flower (here selected as the
lectotype), the other in fruit (see A. botrydion above). The epithet ‘semicircinalis’ is
not altogether appropriate for the legumes of either species (see descriptions above)
therefore a rather arbitrary choice of the flowering specimen as the lectotype was
made. Acacia semicircinalis is illustrated in Maiden and Blakely (1928) plate VIII, ff.
1-5. The fruiting specimen illustrated in this plate (f.6) is A. botrydion.
* Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Palynologie, Montpellier, France.
38
Nuytsia V^ol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Phytogeography of Acacia in the Wongan Hills.
The Wongan Hills are situated in a region termed the transitional-rainfall zone of
south-west Western Australia (Hopper, 1979). This zone lies between the dry arid
zone and the more temperate areas bordering the south-west coast of Western
Australia. Rainfall in the area is from 300-800 mm p.a. The landform is of low relief
but of diverse topography characterized by laterite-capped divides separated by
broad valleys, by plains of considerable edaphic complexity, by saltlakes and by
emergent granite monadnocks. The transitional-rainfall zone is very rich in species
and among the historical factors listed by Hopper as contributing to this richness are
recurrent climatic stresses and erosional dynamism in the Quaternary associated
with weathering of the laterites of the area.
The laterite-dominated Wongan Hills, with their expanse of relatively undisturbed
vegetation, provide an excellent site for examining a specific habitat within the
edaphically complex transitional-rainfall zone. Acacia is well-suited for such an
analysis because it is well represented in species and their taxonomy is relatively well
understood.
Results and discussion. With its 28 species (Table 1), Acacia is the largest plant
genus in the Wongan Hills, although in terms of abundance it is eclipsed by genera
such as Eucalyptus, Casuarina and Melaleuca. The five Acacia species recorded by
Kenneally (1977) from the adjacent, non-la teritic Mortlock Creek area or which
occur as roadside invaders within the Hills are not included in the present study.
The Hills are located on the National Mapping 1:250 000 ‘Moora’ sheet which covers
c. 1.5 million ha and which has the highest concentration of Acacia species for the
State and probably also for Australia (94 described species — Hnatiuk and Maslin,
1980b). With about 30 per cent of Acacia species on this sheet occurring in the Hills,
the importance of this small area (c. 1 750 ha) is readily appreciated.
Except for the entirely tropical/desert sections Acacia and Lycopodiifoliae (which
together comprise 13 species within Western Australia) all infrageneric groups of the
genus occurring in this State are represented in the Hills. Half the species are
contained in section Phyllodineae (14 species) while the closely related sections
Plurinerves and Juliflorae have seven and five species respectively and sections
Alatae and Pulchellae have only two and one species each (Table 1).
Nineteen species, or about 2/3 of the Wongan Hills Acacia species, are restricted to
the South-West Botanical Province (Table 1). Those species extending beyond the
Province are mostly confined to the western margins of the adjacent Eremaean and
South-West Interzone regions. Acacia acanthoclada just reaches the Desert region
while this species and A. erinacea are the only taxa extending into eastern Australia.
No Wongan Hills species occur in the northern tropical/subtropical areas of
Australia.
Sixteen Wongan Hills Acacia species are widespread within south-west Western
Australia (ranges exceeding 500 km). Of the remaining species nine have more
restricted south-western distributions (ranges to c. 500 km), while only three taxa, A.
botrydion, A. aff. ohovata and A. pharangites, are strictly endemic to the Hills. Apart
from A. dura and A. semicircinalis which grow in the general region of the Hills but
not entirely confined within their boundary, those species with restricted ranges
occur in the central and northern part of the wheatbelt from about Southern Cross
to the Murchison River.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
Table 1. Results of geographical analysis of Acacia sections occurring in the Wongan Hills.
39
Section (Pedley, 1978)
Number of
spp. in the
Wongan
Hills
Distribution of WH outside SWBP
No. of WH
spp. endemic EBP
to Extra-
SWBP/WH
pr
dr
er
np
WA
swi
Pulchellae
1
1/0 — —
Alatae
2
1/0 — —
—
—
Phyllodineae
14
10/2 — —
1
3
1
3 2
Plurinerves
6
5/1 — —
—
1
2 —
Juliflorae
5
2/0 — —
—
2
1
3 —
TOTALS
28
19/3 — ~
1
6
2
8 2
Abbreviations for botanical Provinces and Regions are adapted from Hopper and Maslin (1978):
EBP — Eremaean Botanical Province (dr — Desert Region; er — Eremaean Region; np — Nuliarbor Plain;
pr—Pilbara Region; swi— South-West Interzone Region); NBP— Northern Botanical Province.
SWBP — South-West Botanical Province. WA — Western Australia. WH — Wongan Hills.
The south-western geographical affinities of the Wongan Hills Acacia species are
supported by examining the distributions of their taxonomically closest relatives. Of
the 24 species for which close relatives can be determined, all but A. shuttleworthii
have their closest relative within the South-West Botanical Province and 14 of these
are entirely confined to the Province itself (Table 2). Ten of these close relatives are
widespread throughout the Province and have ranges exceeding 500 km. Another 12
are generally less widespread and are restricted to the central or southern parts of
the Province in areas south of about Moora. Only one close relative, A.
leptospermoides subsp. obovata, is confined to the northern part of the Province,
while only A. gregorii, the possible closest relative of A. shuttleworthii, occurs
entirely in the Eremaean Province to the north.
As 24 Wongan Hills Acacias appear to have at least one close relative it suggests
that the majority of the Acacia species in this region are of recent origin. Relict taxa
(i.e. ones not possessing even a single close relative) are difficult to detect with
certainty, although, A. denticulosa and A. pharangites seem to fall into this category.
Acacia dura, A. erinacea and A. restiacea are also possible relicts but further work is
required to assess the true taxonomic position of these species.
Hopper (1979) observed that within the transitional rainfall zone there existed a
large number of recently evolved species and relatively few relict taxa. He also noted
that within the wheatbelt area of the zone there existed few local endemic taxa
relative to the two main heathland centres. To a large extent the Wongan Hills
Acacia data presented here support these observations.
From the above discussion it is seen that the Wongan Hills offer a habitat not only
for endemic taxa but also for species with relatively restricted ranges in the central
and northern parts of the Western Australian wheatbelt. The wheatbelt is under
considerable pressure from agricultural activity (Kitchener, 1976; Kenneally, 1977)
and only a few relatively undisturbed stands of native vegetation remain. Most
uncleared wheatbelt land is probably privately owned farmland (Kitchener et al.,
16559 — ( 4 )
40
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
1980). Thus, areas such as the Wongan Hills are invaluable conservation sites for
species such as these restricted Acacia species which, in the course of time, will most
probably become even scarcer. Additionally, as noted above, two taxa endemic to the
Wongan Hills, A. aff. obovata and A. pharangites, are exceedingly rare there. Both
appear to have very narrow habitat preferences and are represented by very low
numbers of individuals. In the former case by fewer than 50 plants and in the latter
by no more than a few hundred. Undue site disturbance in either case may well lead
to their extinction.
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to Dr Stephen Hopper for his helpful comments on the
phytogeographic aspects of this paper. Mr Alex George is thanked for checking my
Latin diagnoses. Dr Barbara Rye and Mr Kevin Kenneally are thanked for making
special collections and providing field observations on a number of the included taxa.
Financial assistance was provided under an Australian Biological Resources Study
grant from the Bureau of Flora and Fauna.
References
Hnatiuk, R. J. and Maslin, B. R. {1980a). The distribution of Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in
Western Australia. 1. Individual species distributions. W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes No. 4:1-103.
Hnatiuk, R. J. and Maslin, B. R. (1980b). The distribution of Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in
Western Australia. 2. Lists of species occurring in 1° X 1.5“ grid cells. W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes.
No. 4: 105-144.
Hopper, S. D. (1979). Biogeographical aspects of speciation in the south-west Australian flora. Ann. Rev.
Ecol. Syst. 10:399-422.
Hopper, S.^D. and Maslin, B. R. (1978). Phytogeography of Acacia in Western Australia. Austral. J. Bot.
26I63-78.
Kenneally, K. F. (Co-ordinator) (1977). ‘The Natural History of the Wongan Hills.’ Handbook No. 11.
(W.A. Naturalists’ Club: Perth.)
Kitchener, D. J. (1976). Preface to the series. In: Biological survey of the Western Australian wheatbelt.
Part 1. Rec. W. Austral. Mus. Suppl. 2:3-10.
Kitchener, D. J., Chapman, A., Dell, J. and Muir, B. J. (1980). Lizard assemblage and reserve size and
structure in the Western Australian wheatbelt — some implications for conservation. Biol. Conserv.
17:25-62.
Maiden, J. H. and Blakely, W. F. (1928). Descriptions of fifty new species and six varieties of Western and
Northern Australian Acacias, and notes on four other species. J. Roy. Soc. W. Austral. 13:1-36.
Maslin, B. R. (1975). Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae)-4. A revision of the series Pulchellae.
Nuylsia 1:388-494.
Maslin, B. R. (1977). Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae)-6. Miscellany. Nuytsia 2:145-161.
Maslin, B, R. (1978). Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae)-7. The taxonomy of some diaphyllodinous
species. Nuytsia 2:200-219.
Pedley, L. (1978). A revision of Acacia Mill, in Queensland. Part 1. Austrobaileya l(2):75-234.
Index to specimens examined for the taxonomic treatment in this work
This index is arranged alphabetically according to the name of the collector.
Number in parentheses refer to the corresponding numbered taxon in the text.
Unless otherwise stated, the specimens are housed at the Western Australian
Herbarium (PERTH).
Coveny, R. and Maslin, B. R. 7841 (5-CANB, K, NSW, PERTH), 7842 (5-K, NSW, PERTH) 7847 (4-
CANB, K, MEL, NSW. PERTH, UC, US) — numbers are (loveny collecting numbers. '
Kenneally, K. F. 2413 (5-K, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 5876(1); 5891(3); 6896 (1-CANB, PERTH)- 7160(5)-
7161(4); 7194(3); 7496(3); s.n., 21 July 1974 (2); s.n., 1 Sept. 1980 (2).
Lullfitz, F. L1653(5).
Maslin, B. R. 134(5); 1635(5); 3804 (5-CANB, PERTH); 3805 (2-holo: PERTH; iso: BRI, CANB, G K,
MEL. NSW NY, PERTH): 3382 (2-AD, B, PERTH); 4205 (4-holo; PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL,
N\); 4206(2); 4427(4-K, PERTH); 4428(5-Montpellier, PERTH); 4429(2); 4547(2); 4550 and 4550A-
4806(5).
Morrison A. s.n., 3 Oct. 1903 (5-lecto: NSW; iso: K); s.n., 7 Oct. 1903 (2-lectoparatype of A. semicircinalis:
NSW).
Rye, B. L. 80001 (4-AD, BM, BRI, G, PERTH).
Tindale, M. D. 2794 (2-NSW, PERTH).
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Wongan Hills
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46
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
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Nuytsia 4(1); 47-50 (1982)
47
Eriostemon wonganensis (Rutaceae), a new species from the
Wongan Hills, Western Australia
Paul G. Wilson
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Paul G. Wilson, Eriostemon wonganensis (Rutaceae), a new species from the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia. Nuytsia 4 (1): 47-50 (1982). A new species, Eriostemon wonganensis, from the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia, is described and illustrated. It belongs to sect. Nigrostipulae and differs from all other
members of that section in being completely glabrous.
Since a revision of Eriostemon Smith was published (Wilson, 1970) several new
members of the genus have been found, but in most cases in areas difficult of access
from where it has not been possible to obtain suitable material for the provision of
adequate descriptions. The species which is here described is found in the Wongan
Hills, a low range of laterite-capped hills about 140 km north-east of Perth. It was
discovered in September 1980 during a continuing survey of the plants and animals
of the area (Kenneally, 1977). It is clearly distinct from all other members of tbe
genus.
Eriostemon wonganensis Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figures 1 and 2)
Fruticiilus glaber c. 1 m altus. Ramuli graciles, vittis viridibus glandulosis e foliis
decurrentibus. Folia estipulata, aciculares, supra plana et sulcata. Flores axillares,
solitarii, glabri; stamina pyramidales; discus pulvinatus planus; ovarium pyramidale.
Semen oblongo-reniforme, c. 2.5 mm longum; testa minute verrucosa (fere laevis).
Typus: Wongan Hills, 13.5 km NE of Wongan Hills township. Western Australia, 1
Sept. 1980, K. F. Kenneally (holo; PERTH; iso: CANB, K).
Erect glabrous shrub c. 1 m high, with a number of erect branches arising from the
base. Branches slender, when young with green glandular-verrucose decurrencies
arising from leaf bases and separated by corky strips. Leaves scattered, estipulate, ±
erect, subsessile, slender and subterete, 5-10 mm long, glandular verrucose, sulcate
and somewhat flattened above. Flowers solitary, axillary, glabrous; pedicel slender
clavate, c. 5 mm long, with a few small basal bracteoles c. 0.5 mm long; sepals fleshy,
ovate, obtuse, c. 1 mm long; petals oblong-elliptic, c. 5 mm long, white except for
pink outer medial strip; stamens pyramidally arranged, c. 3 mm long with the
antipetalous slightly shorter than the antisepalous; filaments very narrowly
triangular, flattened; anthers quadrate, c. 1 mm long with a small white apiculum c.
0.2 mm long, pollen orange; disc cushion -shaped, flat; ovary pyramidal c. 1.5 mm
high; style slender-terete c. 1 mm long; stigma small, subcapitate. Cocci slightly
spreading in fruit, quadrate, c. 3 mm high, glandular verrucose, shortly apiculate.
Seeds oblong-reniform, c. 2.5 mm long and 1.8 mm broad; testa brittle; faintly
verrucose (almost smooth), black; hilum circular, central on abaxial face; placental
endocarp thin.
48
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Eriostemon wonganensis. Growing in the Wongan Hills. Photo of type plant by K. F.
Kenneally.
P. G. Wilson, Eriostemon
49
1 mm
CGon
Figure 2. Eriostemon wonganensis. A— habit. B— flower. C— gynoecium and disc. D— stigma.
E — stamens. F — fruit. G — elastic endocarp and seed with attached placental endocarp.
A-E from K. F. Kenneally 7466 F. and G from K. F. Kenneally 7493.
50 Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Additional specimen examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Wongan Hills 13.5 km
NE of Wongan Hills township, K. F. Kenneally 7493 (Perth).
Distribution. Only known from the Wongan Hills, c. 30°50'S 116°38'E, Western
Australia.
Habitat. Red soil over fractured or schistose greenstone in open Eucalyptus
ebbanoensis woodland (fide K. F. Kenneally in sched.).
Eriostemon wonganensis clearly belongs to the section Nigrostipulae Wilson (1970)
as is evident from the flower and seed structure, yet, unlike other members of the
section, it is completely glabrous. The only other species of Eriostemon which is both
glabrous and axillary-flowered is E. deserti Pritzel of section Gymnanthos but in that
species the staminal filaments are terete and spreading whereas in E. wonganensis
they are flat and pyramidally arranged.
Conservation status (Hartley and Leigh, 1979). Vulnerable. Eriostemon wonganensis
is only known from an area of a few hectares of privately owned land in the Wongan
Hills where there appears to be about 100 plants present (B. Rye pers. comm.).
Owing to the unusual nature of the habitat and the isolated position of the Hills, it is
unlikely that this plant occurs elsewhere.
Acknowledgement
I am grateful to Margaret A. Menadue for preparing the illustration.
References
Hartley, W. and Leigh, J. (1979). ‘Plants at risk in Australia.’ (Australian National Parks and Wildlife
Service: Canberra.)
Kenneally, K. F. (Co-ordinator) (1977). ‘The natural history of the Wongan Hills.’ Handbook No. 11. (W.A.
Naturalists' Club: Perth.)
Wilson, P. G. (1970). A taxonomic revision of the genera Crowea, Eriostemon and Phebalium (Rutaceae).
Nuytsia 1:2-155.
Nuytsia4(l): 51-54 (1982)
51
Rhagodia acicularis (Chenopodiaceae), a new species from the
Wongan Hills, Western Australia
Paul G. Wilson
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Paul G Wilson Rhagodia acicularis (Chenopodiaceae) a new species from the Wongan Hills, Western
Australia. Nuytsia 4(1): 51-54 (1982). A new species, Rhagodia acicularis, is described; it is endi^ic to
the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. A new combination is effected for a close relative R. ulicina (Gand.)
Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodium ulicinurn Gand.).
Recent collecting activity in the Wongan Hills, Western Australia, had brought to
light an undescribed Rhagodia which closely resembles R. ulicina (Gand.) Paul G.
Wilson. The latter had been placed in the genus Chenopodium but both it and the
newly described species clearly belong in Rhagodia.
Rhagodia acicularis Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figures 1 and 2)
Frutex compactus c. 0.5 m altus, furfuraceus. Folia alterna, parva, angusti elliptica,
2-5 mm longa, aliquantum carnosa, vesiculariter furfuracea. Inflorescentia spicata
(vel breviter paniculata), c. 10 mm longa; flores pauci, parvi, sessiles, minute
bracteati. Flores masculi late turbinati c. 1 mm longi; tepala 5; stamina 5, filamentis
anguste teretibus versus basim lanatis; pistillodium minutum. Flores feminei
spheroidei c. 1.2 mm diam.; staminodia absentia; ovarium glabrum; stigmata tenuia,
papillosa, c. 0.3 mm longa. Fructus baccatus, depresso sphericus, c. 3 mm diam.;
pericarpium succulentum, roseum. Semen lenticulare 1.5 mm diam., radialiter
verruculosum, nigrum, margine rotundato.
Typus: Monk’s Well Gully, Wongan Hills, 30°46'S, 116°38'E, Western Australia, 15
Feb. 1980, P. G. Wilson 11713 (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB).
Compact intricately branched rounded shrub c. 0.5 m high, scurfy due to a close
covering of minute vesicular hairs which although collapsing retain their circular
shape with age, dioecious. Branchlets spinescent. Leaves alternate, small, somewhat
fleshy, narrowly elliptic, 2-5 mm long, glabrescent above, closely vesicular puberulous
below.' Inflorescence spicate (or shortly paniculate) with a spinescent axis c. 10 mm
long; flowers few, sessile, subtended by a minute bract. Male flowers broadly
turbinate, c. 1 mm long; tepals 5, free to base, narrowly obovate, incurved, closely
vesicular hairy outside, glabrous within; stamens 5, filaments slender-terete, lanate
towards base^ united into a thick cup-shaped disc; anthers shortly exserted, c.
0.5 mm long; pistillode minute. Female flowers spheroidal, c. 1.2 mm diam.; tepals
narrowly obovate not enlarging in fruit; staminodes absent; ovary glabrous; style
minute; stigmas slender, papillose, c. 0.3 mm long. Terminal flower on female
inflorescence sterile, densely filled with woolly hairs arising from staminodes;
52
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Hhagodia acicularis. A — habit. B— female branch. C — young leaf. D — vesicular hairs, inflated
(right) and c()llapsed (left). E — male flower. F — androecium. G — stamen. H— pistillode. I — female flower.
-J — ovary. K-— ovule. L — perianth with fruit. M — berry. N— seed, from above and side.
From K. F. Kenneally 2^S4 (male) and P. G. Wilson 11713 (female).
P. Ci. Wilson, Rhagodia acicularis
53
pistillode minute with 2-3 erect glabrous stigmas. Fruit baccate, depressed spherical,
c. 3 mm diameter, pale red. clasped around margin by tepals but exposed at apex and
towards base in inter-tepalar spaces; pericarp succulent, adherent to seed. Seed
lenticular with rounded margin, 1.5 mm diam., radially verruculose, black.
Additional specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Wongan Hills, K. F.
Kenneally 2384 and 6448 (PERTH); ibid., P. G. Wilson 11712 (PERTH).
Distribution. Endemic to the Wongan Hills, c. 30°50'S, 116°40'E, south-west
Western Australia.
Habitat. Red soil on gravelly lateritic slope in eucalypt woodland.
The specific epithet ‘acicularis’ refers to the needle-like branchlets of this species.
Rhagodia ulicina (Gand.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov.
Chenopodium ulicinum Gand., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 66:224 (1919). Type: Mt.
Lyndhurst, April 1900, M. Koch 366 (holor LY; iso: PERTH).
Rhagodia acicularis resembles R. ulicina, to which it is evidently closely related,
but differs in the following characters: 1) Terminal flower of female inflorescence
sterile (not large and fertile), 2) Seed radially verruculose (not smooth or minutely
granular), 3) Male flower with woolly stamens united into a cup-shaped disc (not
glabrous and without a disc). It is a typical member of the genus and evidently
related to such other typical members as R. spinescens R.Br. and R. drummondii
Moq.
When Gandoger described Chenopodium ulicinum he was evidently unaware that
the plant was dioecious and that it had baccate fruits for these two characters, and it
being a shrub, firmly establish it as a member of the genus Rhagodia. This species is
widely distributed in semi-arid areas of southern Australia from eastern New South
Wales to northern Eyre Peninsula westwards to south-east Western Australia (near
Cocklebiddy). It frequently grows on limestone.
Acknowledgement
The illustration was kindly prepared by Margaret A. Menadue.
54
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 2. Hhagodia acicularis. Growing in the Wongan Hills. Photo of type plant by K. F. Kenneally.
Nuytsia4(l): 55-59 (1982)
55
A new species of Conostylis R.Br. (Haemodoraceae) from the
Fitzgerald River area, Western Australia
J. W. Green
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Green, J. W. A new species of Conostylis R.Br. (Haemodoraceae) from the Fitzgerald River area,
Western Australia. Nuvtsia 4(1): 55-59 (1982). Conostylis deplexa J. W. Green, belonging to section
Catospora Benth., is described. It is distinguished from all other species in the genus by having marginal
setae embracing the otherwise glabrous leaf blades.
Conostylis deplexa J. W. Green, sp. nov. (Figures 1-3)
Planta perennis. Folia linearia, plana, glabra, praeter setas marginales distichos
amplectentes. Scapus foliis breviorus. Perianthium parte libra ovario superanti, lobis
tubo paulo longioribus. Antherae connectivum longum, decurrens. Placentae
peltatae, ovulis pluribus reflexis ornatis. Semina in quoque loculo 1 vel 2, curva,
longitudinaliter sulcata.
Typus: 6 km E of Fitzgerald River on Ravensthorpe-Jerramungup road, 31 Oct. 1975,
J. W. Green 4619. (bolo; PERTH; iso: CANB).
Perennial in small tufts or solitary. Stem short. Leaves linear, 15-20 cm long, 1.5-
3 mm broad, Hat, longitudinally striate, glabrous except for marginal setae; setae in 2
alternate ranks on each margin, stiff, simple (though sometimes themselves minutely
spinulose), enclasping the leaf blade often across its entire breadth, white or tinged
reddish-brown at the base. Scape 2-5 cm long, shorter than the leaves, bearing near
the middle a brown, scarious, broadly lanceolate bract 2-3 cm long which sometimes
becomes leaf-like; indumentum of the scape softly tomentose, of branched or simple
trichomes. Inflorescence excluding the scape congested, 2.5-3.5 cm across, subtended
by 1 or 2 brown, scarious, lanceolate bracts 1.5-2 cm long and abaxially tomentose on
their midrib. Flowers in clusters of 10-20, each subtended by a linear,! tomentose,
brown bracteole 3-7 mm long; pedicel 1-2 mm long. Perianth campanulate, 1-1.5 cm
long, yellow; lobes ± equal, 4-7 mm long, exceeding the free part of the tube; outer
surface of the perianth bearing a woolly tomentum of short, branched trichomes
mixed with longer, simple, minutely spinulose ones; inner surface of the lobes
pubescent, trichomes simple; inner surface of the tube glabrous. Stamens erect,
uniseriate, 3.5 mm long. Anther 2.5 mm long, bisporangiate and bilocular (Green,
1980); connective decurrent, 2/3 as long as the anther; filament slender. Style
exceeding the stamens, ± reaching the tips of the perianth lobes. Ovary 3-locular;
placentas axile, peltate, each with several ovules dependent from irear the margin.
Fruiting perianth enlarged to 3.5 mm diameter near the base. Seeds 1-2 in each
loculus, curved-cylindrical, 1.8 mm long and 0.4 mm diameter, orange, longitudinally
grooved.
16559 — ( 5 )
56
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
/
%
to
: .v-f
A
M7Uea4jl<4 (k^jA^Ci XuJ. (ifttw
• -■/ -.' V-} j W /W. '..^^/
Figure 1. Conostylis deplexa. Holotype: 6 km E of Fitzgerald River on Ravensthorpe to Jerramungup
road. Green 4619.
J. W. Green, Conostylis
Figure 2. Conostylis deplexa. A — B: Leaf showing marginal setae xl5. C — E: Indumentum of
inflorescence xl5. C — scape. D — outer perianth. E — dissection of branched and simple trichomes.
F — portion of flower cluster, showing bracteoles x3. G — I; Flower x3. G and H — external view showing
stamens and tube. I — ovary showing placentation. J — stamens showing sporangia and connective xlO.
K — stamens and style xlO. L — longitudinal section of ovary x4. M — placenta and ovules dissected out
xl5. N — fruiting perianth, longitudinal half x3. O — P: Fruit, longitudinal half, showing seeds and
unfertilised ovules O xlO, P xl5. All from Green 4819 (holotype, PERTH) except C, D and K from
Hopper 1142 (PERTH) and G from Newbey 3865 (PERTH).
58
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Habitat. According to specimen label data, the species occurs among open shrub
mallee, low closed heath or low open woodland containing a low closed heath
understorey. Associated species include Eucalyptus tetragona, E. falcata, E. redunca,
perhaps other mallees and, in one case, “emergent hakeas 1.5 m”. The soil is
commonly pale grey sand, or sandy loam, mostly over laterite, on rolling hilltops or
winter-wet flats.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowering has been recorded between early
September and late October; fruiting has been recorded in October.
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 6 km S of the S end of Lake
Magenta, S. D. Hopper 1806 (PERTH); 38.5 miles (61.9 km) W of Ravensthorpe on
road to Ongerup, A. S. George 7043 (CANB, K, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 6.1 km ENE
of Fitzgerald River bridge, S. D. Hopper 550 (PERTH); 6 km ENE of Fitzgerald
River, S. D. Hopper 1142 (PERTH); 17.1 km ENE of Fitzgerald River bridge, S. D.
Hopper 1144 (PERTH); 1.3 km W of Fitzgerald School, S. D. Hopper 1151 (CANB,
K, NSW, PERTH); 1 km NE of Roe’s Rock, K Newbey 3865 (PERTH).
The new species belongs to section Catospora (Bentham, 1873), judging by the
placentation of the ovary. Geerinck (1969) has amended Bentham’s sectional
description (“perianth often hairy or woolly inside”) to “tube . . . velue a I’interieur”.
This modification, which might seem to exclude C. deplexa from section Catospora,
is, however, an oversimplification since some of the species included in the section by
both Bentham and Geerinck have the inside of the perianth, especially the tube, only
sparsely pubescent or quite glabrous. In C. deplexa the inside of the lobes is
pubescent and the tube glabrous.
Conostylis deplexa is the fourth species to be described since the revision of Green
(1961); C. pauciflora S. D. Hopper (1978) and C. neocymosa S. D. Hopper (1980)
both fall into section Conostylis Geerinck (= Euconostylis Bentham) while C.
wonganensis S. D. Hopper (1982) is said to have affinities with C. dielsii W.V. Fitzg.
(section Catospora, fide Geerinck) and C. teretiuscula F. Muell. (section Conostylis).
Conservation status. The species is said to be rare by K. Newbey, (pers. comm.) and,
since only one recorded locality occurs in a reserve (the Fitzgerald River National
Park), the species may be endangered.
The epithet (Lat. deplexus, embracing or clasping) refers to the unique character
of the leaf setae which distinguishes the species.
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to a number of my colleagues for discussion and other assistance. In
particular I wish to thank Mr Paul Wilson and Mr Bruce Maslin for critically
reading the manuscript and making valuable suggestions for improvement. I also
wish to thank Mrs Wendy Lee-Frampton for drawing the map and for other
technical help and Miss Vicki Hamley for typing the manuscript.
J. W. Green, Conostylis
59
References
Bentham, G. (1873). Flora Australiensis, vol. 6. (Reeve: London.)
Geerinclc, D. (1969). Le genre Conostylis R.Br. (Haemodoraceae d’Australie). Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 39:
167-177.
Green, J. W. (1961). The genus Conostylis R.Br. II. Taxonomy. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales 85: 334-373.
Green, J. W. (1980). A revised terminology for the spore-containing parts of anthers. New Phytol. 84: 401-
406.
Hopper, S. D. (1978). Nomenclatural notes and new taxa in the Conostylis aculeata group
(Haemodoraceae). Nuytsia 2: 254-264.
Hopper, S. D. (1980). Conostylis neocymosa sp. nov. (Haemodoraceae) from south-western Australia. Bot.
Notiser 133; 223-226.
Hopper, S. D. (1982). A new species of Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) from the Wongan Hills district.
Western Australia. Nuytsia 4: 17-21.
Nuytsia4(l): 61-103 (1982)
61
Studies in the genus Acacia (LeguminosaerMimosoideae) — 11.
Acacia species of the Hamersley Range area. Western Australia
B. R. Maslin
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Maslin, B. R. Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 11. Acacia species of the
Hamersley Range area, Western Australia. Nuytsia 4(1): 61-103 (1982). Eight new Acacia species from the
Hamersley Range area belonging to sections Phyllodineae (A. cuspidifolia, A. marramamba), Plurinerves
{A. arrecta) and -luliflorae (A. atkiasiaua, A. daweana, A. effusa, A. exHis, A. haineralevensis) are described
and illustrated. A brief discussion is given on the Hamersley Range populations of the taxonomically
complex species, A. bivenosa DC. and also on certain members of the A. stowardii species-group i.e. A.
adsurgens Maiden et Blakely, A. kempeana F. Muell., A. rhodophloia Maslin and A. stowardii Maiden. A
lectotype is selected for both A. trachycarpa B. Pritzel and A. xiphophyUa R. Pritzel. Acacia clewentii
Maiden et Blakely is relegated to synonymy under A. xiphophylla, A. clementii Domin under A. pyrifolia
DC. while .4. gonocarpa var. lasiocalyx F. Muell. is provisionally referred to A. trachycarpa. A key is given
to the 46 Acacia species recorded for the Hamersley Range area. Distribution analyses of these species
shows the Acacia flora as comprising mainly a mixture of wide-ranging arid zone and subtropical species
principally from sections Juliflorae (25 species) and Phyllodineae (14 species). Only 4 species are endemic
to the area. The Hamersley Range area emerges as a region with a preponderance of recently-evolved
species.
Introduction
Due to increased botanical activity in the Pilbara over recent years, a number of
taxonomic matters relating to Acacia have been brought to my attention. In this
paper 8 new species occurring in, but not necessarily restricted to, the Hamersley
Range area are described and the taxonomy of a number of other taxa is discussed.
In addition, a key to the 46 Acacia species currently recorded for the area is
provided. Because of current interest in the phytogeography of the Western
Australian flora, a distribution analysis of the Hamersley Range Acacia species is
included.
The area covered by the present study comprises the Hamersley Plateau as
defined by Beard (1975) and includes both the Hamersley and Ophthalmia ranges.
This area lies within the Fortescue Botanical District (Beard, 1980) and is situated in
the north-west of Western Australia in a region known generally as the Pilbara.
Although 46 species of Acacia are here recorded for the Hamersley Range area
(Table 1), it is likely that future sampling will increase this number. This is because
many areas are very rugged, difficult of access and consequently poorly-collected
botanically.
The majority of specimens used in this account are housed at the Western
Australian Herbarium (PERTH). A list of specimens examined in the preparation of
new species descriptions is given at the end of the paper. All illustrations were made
from dried herbarium material.
62
Nuytsia Vol, 4, No. 1 (1982)
The species are arranged alphabetically except for A. adsurgens, A. kempeana and A.
rhodophloia which are discussed under A. stowardii. The distribution of each species
is indicated with respect to its occurrence within Beard’s (1980) Botanical Districts.
The 1:250 000 map references are also given so that distributions can be correlated
with those listed in Hnatiuk and Maslin (1980) and Maslin and Pedley (in press).
The environment. A detailed description of the Pilbara region is given in Beard
(1975) and summarized in Beard (1980). The brief notes on climate,
geology/geomorphology and vegetation which follow, are largely taken from these
two accounts.
The Hamersley Plateau has an arid-tropical climate with an annual precipitation
of 250-300 mm. The climate is largely dominated by tropical cyclones which occur
predominantly from January to March. Average temperatures for Wittenoom,
situated on the north of the Plateau, range from about 18°C in June and July to
about 33°C in the November-March period.
The Hamersley Plateau is a mountainous region lying between the Fortescue and
Ashburton Rivers. It comprises massive deposits of Lower Proterozoic sediments
(mainly jasperlite and dolomite) and vmlcanics overlying Archean granite and
volcanics. On its northern flank the Plateau is bounded by an abrupt escarpment
fronting the Fortescue Valley. Around Wittenoom, short rivers have cut deep, narrow
gorges into the Plateau. When present, soils on the ranges are rocky and skeletal.
Further south and east the topography is different and comprises broken country of
impressive ranges separated by broad alluvial plains of deep, earthy loams. The
highest eminence in Western Australia, Mt Meharry (1 235 m), occurs in this area.
The vegetation of the jasperlite and dolomite ranges is characteristically a tree
steppe dominated by Eucalyptus leucophloia (snappy gum) with a Triodia wiseana
(spinifex) ground cover. On basaltic bills, as in the Tom Price-Paraburdoo area, a
vegetation mosaic of Acacia aneura (mulga) low woodland and A. inaequilatera-
Triodia shrub steppe is found. Most of the valleys carry A. aneura low woodland.
Phytogeography of Acacia in the Hamersley Range area
Distribution maps of all species mentioned in this discussion are given in Maslin
and Pedley (1982).
As discussed by Hopper and Maslin (1978) the Pilbara is one of the secondary
centres of species richness for Acacia in Western Australia. Of the 54 species
recorded for the Pilbara (Maslin and Hnatiuk, unpublished) 46 occur in the
Hamersley Range area (Table 1). Only 4 species, A. daweana, A. effusa, A. exilis and
A. bamersleyensis are endemic.
The Acacia flora of the Hamersley Range area is dominated by sections Juliflorae
(25 species) and Phyllodineae (14 species) wbicb together comprise 84 per cent of the
total. The remaining seven species are contained in sections Acacia, Lycopodiifoliae
and Plurinerves (Table 2).
The main geographical affinities of the Hamersley Range area Acacia species are
with arid zone and subtropical regions. This is evident from Tables 1 and 2 where it
is seen that 33 species (12%) and 32 species (70^) are shared with the adjacent
Central Eremaean and South Kimberley Areas respectively (see Figure 1 for
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
63
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R Tuu appearing in this column refer to l°xl.5° grid cells as shown in Hnatiuk and Maslin (1980).
D Abbreviations used here are for Western Australian Acacia Areas as explained in Figure 1.
Australian State abbreviations are as follows: NT — Northern Territory, NSW — New South Wales, Q— Queensland, SA — South Australia, V — Victoria.
Table 2. Results of geographical analysis of Acacia sections occurring in the Hamersley Range area. Distribution abbreviations refer to the Acacia Regions and
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
65
66
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
definition of Acacia Areas referred to herein). Wide-ranging taxa from all sections of
the genus contribute to these arid zone/subtropical affinities but most species are
contained in the sections Juliflorae and Phyllodineae. For example, A. aneura, A.
cuthbertsonii, A. kempeana, and A. stowardii (all section Juliflorae) and A.
dictyophleba, A. inaequilatera, A. maitlandii, A. pruinocarpa and A. tetragonopbylla
(all section Phyllodineae) are common in the central and southern parts of the
Australian arid zone. Most of these species find their western or north-western limit
of distribution in the region of the Hamersley Range. The subtropical affinities are
attributed mainly to species distributed in both the northern arid zone and in
subtropical parts of northern Australia, e.g. A. acradenia, A. ancistrocarpa, A.
billiana, A. tenuissima, A. tumida (all section Juliflorae), A. coriacea, A. monticola,
A. retivenia (all section Plurinerves) and A.yictoriae (section Phyllodineae).
Based on current taxonomic knowledge, 44 of the 46 Hamersley Range area Acacia
species have at least one known close relative and are therefore classified as being of
recent origin according to the criteria adopted by Stebbins and Major (1965). Only
A. daweana and A. tetragonopbylla seem to qualify as possible relict taxa because
neither is known to have taxonomically close relatives. The species richness of the
Hamersley Acacia flora is therefore the result of an accumulation of recently derived
taxa rather than through the persistence of numerous relict taxa. This accords with
results shown for other areas of Western Australia (Hopper and Maslin, 1978).
Of the recently derived species, six are either restricted to the Hamersley Range
area or extend only to nearby regions. These six species are listed here together with
their closest relative(s) and it is to be noted that in every case, at least one of the
close relatives also occurs within the Hamersley Range area.
1. A. arrecta/A. abbreviata, A. arida, A. billiana, A. minutifolia, A. ortbocarpa;
2. A. atkinsiana/A. adsurgens, A. duriuscula, A. kempeana, A. nelsonii, A.
rbodopbloia, A. stowardii;
3. A. effusa/A. cbisbolmii, A. gracillima, A. lysipbloia, A. tracbycarpa;
4. A. exilis/A. tenuissima;
5. A. bamersleyensis/A. citrinoviridis, A. tumida, A. xipbopbylla;
6. A. marramamba/A. inaequilatera, A. pyrifolia, A. strongylopbylla.
Bowler (in press) proposed that areas peripheral to the central arid zone were
climatically the most unpredictable regions of Australia during the Quaternary.
According to Maslin and Hopper (in press), the resultant stresses placed on
sedentary organisms in such regions created situations ideal for localized speciation.
From the data given above it is evident that the Hamersley Range area has been one
such region of speciation. It is intriguing to speculate why a number of the recently-
evolved Hamersley Range species are confined to the nearby area. Perhaps, as
suggested by Randell and Symon (1977), the formation of extensive sand dune
systems some 30 000 years B.P. have played an important role as an isolating
mechanism. Certainly the Hamersleys are “isolated” in the sense that they are
bounded to the north and east by the Great Sandy Desert and the Little Sandy
Desert and to the south by the Ashburton River sedimentary basin.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
67
Figure 1. Map of Western Australia showing the ten Acacia Areas defined by Hnatiuk and Maslin
(unpublished) based on 1° X 1.5° grid cells.
1-2; Kimberley Region (KR) showing 1. North (nk) and 2. South (sk) Kimberley areas. 3-8; Eremaean
Region (ER) showing 3. North-West (nwe), 4. West (we), 5. North (ne), 6. Central (ce), 7. South-West (swe)
and 8. South (se) Eremaean areas. 9-10; South-West Region (SWR) showing 9. South and West Coastal
(swc) and 10. Central and North, Wheatbelt (cnw) areas.
68
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Taxonomy
Key to the Acacia species of the Hamersley Range area
(Numbered species are described and/or discussed in tbe text. Descriptions for
species marked with an asterisk (*) are in Maslin (1981)).
1 .
2 .
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10 .
11 .
12 .
13 .
Foliage bipinnate; stipules spiny *A. farnesiana
Foliage reduced to phyllodes 2
Phyllodes with very sharp, spiny, needle-like tips; flower-heads globular 3
Phyllodes not sharp and spiny (although sometimes the tips may be coarsely
pungent, especially on terete phyllodes); flower-heads globular to cylindrical. . .8
Phyllodes 1-4 cm wide, elliptic but often asymmetrically so; stipules spiny,
sometimes deciduous; inflorescences racemose or paniculate 4
Phyllodes less than 1 cm wide, linear to narrowly oblong-elliptic or narrowly
obovate; inflorescences simple and axillary (neither racemose nor paniculate) . . 6
Phyllodes symmetric with the midrib centrally situated, often glaucous;
inflorescence axes yellow'ish or with a pale purplish tinge 10. A. pyrifolia
Phyllodes asymmetric with the midrib situated near the lower margin 5
Branchlet apices white-pruinose; phyllodes 2.5-7 cm long, 1.5-3. 5 cm wide, often
grey-green, reticulum prominent; inflorescence axes purple; bark corky; gnarled
trees to c. 5 m tall *A. inaequilatera
Branchlet apices not pruinose; phyllodes 2-4 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, pale green,
reticulum obscure; inflorescence axes red-brown; bark fibrous; shrubby trees to
3(5) m tall 9. A. marramamba
Phyllodes fasciculate (solitary on new shoots), acicular, c. 1 mm wide; diffuse
shrubs or trees to 5 m tall *A. tetragonophylla
Phyllodes scattered (not fasciculate), more than 1 mm wide 7
Stipules spiny (although absent from some nodes); phyllodes normally 3-6 cm
long; flower-heads pale yellow; bushy, non-resinous shrubs or trees 3-7 m
tall 4. A. cuspidifolia
Stipules not spiny, persistent, c. 1 mm tong; phyllodes 0.8-2. 5 cm long; flower-
heads golden yellow; resinous, rather spindly and open shrubs 2-3 m
tall *A. maitlandii
Phyllodes whorled, to c. 1 cm long, ± terete; legumes sticky; shrubs dense,
spreading, to 1 m tall 9
Phyllodes scattered, normally more than 1 cm long 10
Phyllodes less than 5 mm long, ascending, grey; branchlets densely white-pilose;
petals striate *A. adoxa var. adoxa
Phyllodes more than 5 mm long, spreading (at maturity), bright green;
Branchlets not conspicuously hairy; petals obscurely 1-nerved *A.
spondylophylla
Phyllodes minutely punctulate i.e. with minute, circular, whitish dots which are
observable at xlO mag., nerveless or very obscurely nerved; flower-heads
cylindrical; legumes woody, basally narrowed; seeds oblique with straight,
narrowly turbinate funicle/arils 11
Phyllodes not punctulate, nerves often conspicuous; flower-heads globular to
cylindrical 12
Phyllodes flat A. arida
Phyllodes terete (very closely allied to the above) *A. orthocarpa
Phyllodes terete, subterete or quadrangular 13
Phyllodes distinctly flattened (although occasionally only 1-2 mm wide) 21
Longest phyllode less than 7 cm 14
Longest phyllode more than 7 cm 16
69
R. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
14. Flower-heads globular, on peduncles 1.5-4 cm long; legumes woody, vernicose
when young, basally narrowed, 4-6 mm wide, margins not thickened; phyllodes
to 4 cm long, curved upwards; slightly viscid, spreading shrubs to 1 m
tall
Flower-heads cylindrical
15. Peduncles 1-3 cm long; phyllodes to 6 cm long, green; legumes woody, sticky (at
least when young), linear but basally narrowed, c. 4 mm wide, margins
thickened; resinous, spreading shrubs to 1 m tall *A. hilliana
Peduncles to 1 cm long; phyllodes variable, grey-green; legumes papery, not
sticky, ± oblong, 4-15 mm wide; shrubs or trees more than 1 m tall . . .*A. aneura
16. Flower-heads globular, arranged in axillary racemes; phyllodes 4-nerved in all,
together with the branchlets always glabrous -17
Flower-heads cylindrical spikes, simple and axillary (not racemose); phyllodes
more than 4-nerved (nerves often very fine and obscure) 18
17. Legumes papery and flat; calyx divided into free, linear-spathulate sepals,
branchlets red-brown; phyllodes finely filiform, c. 0.5 mm diam., ±
quadrangular, smooth pachyacra
Legumes woody and moniliform; calyx united, i truncate; branchlets light grey,
phyllodes 1 mm or more wide, often distinctly flattened, coarsely wrinkled
when dry sclerosperma
18. Branchlet apices and/or phyllodes (at least when young) hairy to some degree
(hairs minute, appressed, and on phyllodes in A. aneura often confined to the
region between the nerves: observe at xlO mag.) 19
Brancblet apices and phyllodes glabrous (neglect pulvinar area in A. exilis) . . .20
19. Legumes woody and moniliform; young phyllodes not resinous, covered with a
dense silvery or greenish yellow indumentum; sepals variably united for about
half their length 'vanyu
Legumes papery and flat; young phyllodes resin-nerved, indumentum generally
less conspicuous than above, mature phyllodes grey-green; sepals free to
base
20 Branchlet apices with yellow, crenulated, resin ribs (observe at xlO mag.); spikes
dense, to c. 1 cm long, pale yellow; phyllodes 6-15 cm long; legumes 2-3 mm wide;
shrubs normally lo 2 m tall tenuissima
Branchlet apices without resin ribs; spikes not dense, 1-2 cm long, light golden;
phyllodes 14-18 cm long; legumes 4-5 mm wide; tall shrubs or small trees to
7. A. exilis
21. Phyllodes with 1 longitudinal nerve on each face (nerve often obscure in A.
victoriae, the phyllodes then finely wrinkled when dry) 22
Phyllodes with more than 1 longitudinal nerve on each face (nerves normally
numerous, very fine and close together but sometimes few, conspicuous and
widely spaced; in A. bivenosa nerves reduced to 2 with one of them poorly
developed— best observed on dried specimens) 29
22. Flower-heads cylindrical (on fruiting specimens inspect receptacle for flower
scars); bark “Minni Ritchi” i.e. reddish and exfoliating in narrow shavings which
curl retrorsely from each end; legumes circinate, ± reticulate, resinous 23
Flower-heads globular; bark not “Minni Ritchi” 24
23. Phyllodes asymmetrically elliptic, 9-15 mm long, 3-7 mm wide, apex rounded
with an acute, laterally positioned, acute mucro; wide-spreading shrubs to 1 m
tall 6. A. effusa
Phyllodes narrowly linear, longer and narrower than above; tall sbrubs more
than 1 12. A. trachycarpa
70
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
24. Phyllodes all less than 5 cm long 25
Phyllodes some or all more than 5 cm long 26
25. Stipules spiny on young plants, often deciduous with age; branchlets not
resinous, often pruinose; peduncles normally in pairs; phyllodes never spiny-
tipped, often finely wrinkled when dry; shrubs or small trees *A. victoriae
Stipules not spiny, persistent, oppressed, c. 1 mm long; branchlets resinous,
never pruinose; peduncles solitary in phyllode axils; phyllodes normally spiny-
tipped; rather spindly, open shrubs 2-3 m tall *A. maitlandii
26. Phyllodes long and narrowly linear, less than 5 mm wide, normally terete but
appearing flat when broad (see lead 17 above) A. sclerosperma
Phyllodes more than 5 mm wide 27
27. Peduncles less than 1 cm long; phyllodes less than 10 cm long; attractive,
fragrant shrubs to 3 m tall, commonly forming groves along roadsides, trunks
white *A. validinervia
Peduncles more than 1 cm long; phyllodes normally more than 10 cm long. ... 28
28. Legumes ± chartaceous, 10-17 mm wide; bracteole and sepal apices densely
golden puberulous (best observed at xlO mag. on unexpanded heads); trees to
10 m tall, not confined to watercourses, flowering from October to December
(heads bright golden) *A. pruinocarpa
Legumes ± woody, c. 5 mm wide; bracteoles and sepals glabrous; bushy shrubs
or trees confined to watercourses, flowering from May to August (heads white or
cream) *A. ampliceps
29. Phyllodes large (c. 10-20 cm long and 1-2.5 cm wide) AND the minor nerves
forming a loose, open reticulum between the 2-4 main longitudinal nerves;
flower-heads cylindrical 30
Phyllodes shorter or narrower OR if not, then the minor nerves very fine, close
together and parallel (nor forming a loose, open reticulum); flower-heads
globular to cylindrical 31
30. Petals glabrous (best to observe unexpanded spikes); phyllodes ± symmetrically
and gently falcate *A. cowleana
Petals minutely sericeous; phyllodes ± straight although normally curved near
their apices, somewhat asymmetric *A. holosericea
31. Flower-heads globular or obloid i.e. less than twice as long as wide (on fruiting
specimens inspect receptacle for flower scars) 32
Flower-heads distinctly cylindrical i.e. more than twice as long as wide 37
32. Phyllodes with numerous, very fine, parallel (never anastomosing) nerves which
are situated close together 33
Phyllodes with 2-5 widely spaced main longitudinal nerves between which the
minor nerves frequently anastomose and form a reticulum 34
33. Flower-heads globular; legumes moniliform, to 23 cm long, 6-13 mm wide;
phyllodes ± linear, 12-35 cm long, 1-7 mm wide, lax and often pendulous; trees
to 10 m tall and normally confined to watercourses *A. coriacea
Flower-heads obloid; legumes flat and broadly linear, to 10 cm long, 4-6 mm
wide; phyllodes very narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, 6-15 cm long,
(4)5-10(12) mm wide, ascending; shrubs to 3.3 m tall, favouring open spinifex
plains 2. A. atkinsiana
34. Branchlets and phyllodes hairy (sometimes the hairs are very fine — observe at
xlO mag.); inflorescences normally not racemose 35
Branchlets and phyllodes completely glabrous; bark never “Minni Ritchi”. ... 36
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
71
35. Phyllodes 3-7.5 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, strongly reticulate; indumentum
conspicuous and densely tomentose; flower-heads large; open shrubs to 3 m tall,
bark not “Minni Ritchi” *A. retivenia
Phyllodes 1.2-3 cm long, 5-15 mm wide, nerves of reticulum fine and impressed;
indumentum finely puberulous, less conspicuous than above; shrubs or trees to
5 m tall, bark “Minni Ritchi” i.e. reddish brown and exfoliating in narrow
shavings which curl retrorsely from each end *A. monticola
36. Inflorescences racemose but racemes normally grow out as leafy shoots with the
peduncles then appearing axillary; phyllodes not conspicuously reticulate,
fleshy, finely wrinkled when dry, with 2 longitudinal nerves (but one of these is
poorly developed); legumes woody, less than 1 cm wide; shrubs not
resinous 3. A. bivenosa
Inflorescences not racemose; phyllodes conspicuously reticulate, coriaceous, with
2-5 longitudinal nerves; legumes firmly chartaceous, 1-1.5 cm wide; shrubs
resinous *A. dictyophleba
37. Phyllodes narrowly linear, 1-2 mm wide, not rigid, 1-3 longitudinal nerves on
each face; legumes circinate and reticulate; bark “Minni Ritchi” i.e. reddish and
exfoliating in narrow shavings which curl retrorsely from each end; shrubs or
small trees normally found along watercourses. 12. A. trachycarpa
Characters not combined as above 38
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43 .
Phyllodes c. 6-11 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, obliquely narrowly elliptic with
acuminate apices, not falcate, some nerves obviously confluent with the lower
margin for a distance above the base; branchlets resinous and minutely
puberulous acradenia
Phyllode nerves not basally confluent or if so (rare) then other characters not
combined as above 39
Phyllodes some or all more than 8 cm long 40
Phyllodes all less than 8 cm long 46
All parts glabrous (neglect calyx) 41
Either flowering peduncles or receptacles, phyllodes and/or branchlets
(especially on new shoots) or legumes hairy to some degree (hairs often minute
and appressed — observed at xlO mag.) 44
Phyllodes conspicuously lanceolate-falcate, about 10-15 cm long and 10-20 mm
wide, together with the branchlets often pruinose; spikes arranged in racemes
which normally grow out as new shoots; legumes obviously longitudinally
wrinkled when dry, not resinous *A. tumida
Phyllodes often straight, not above 12 mm wide; spikes axillary, not racemose;
legumes not obviously wrinkled 42
Phyllodes bright olive green, somewhat shiny (observe fresh), c. 10-18 cm long
and 2-11 mm wide, 1-3 yellowish nerves more evident than the very obscure,
impressed, distant, minor nerves, marginal nerve discrete and yellowish; legumes
resinous, 7-12 mm wide, subwoody *A. ancistrocarpa
Phyllodes not as above; legumes not resinous, ± chartaceous 43
Phyllodes 11-20 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, narrowly linear, pale green; spikes dense,
pale yellow; calyx more than half the length of the corolla .... 11a. *A. adsurgens
Phyllodes variable, 4.5-12.5 cm long, 1-8 mm wide, often broadly linear or very
narrowly eliptic but occasionally narrowly linear; spikes a darker yellow and less
dense than above; calyx less than half the length of the
corolla lie. *A. stowardii
16569 — ( 6 )
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
44. Legumes glabrous, to 21 cm long; spikes comprising somewhat widely spaced
rather large flowers with short, cupular, ± truncate, golden puberulous calyxes
that are readily observable at xlO mag.; phyllodes coriaceous, rather rigid and
normally ± straight, extremely finely nerved, silvery-sericeous when
intermediate aged but glabrous at maturity, very young new shoots golden;
small, spreading often gnarled trees on alluvial flats 13. A. xiphophylla
Legumes hairy, hairs, yellow when young but turning white with age; spikes
dense; calyx not as above; phyllodes often falcate, generally less rigid, less
coriaceous and more obviously nerved (at xlO mag.) than above, normally 8-
14 cm long and 5-15 mm wide 45
45. Legumes with a dense, soft appressed sericeous indumentum; flowering
peduncles and spike axes (i.e. the receptacles) golden puberulous; phyllodes
falcate, the new shoots citron-sericeous but hairs turning silvery-white on
intermediate aged phyllodes, glabrous at maturity; graceful trees often with
pendulous branches, normally found along watercourses. (Small phyllode
variants, c. 5-6 cm long and c. 5 mm wide, are known from tops of rocky
ranges) *A. citrinoviridis
Legumes with spreading, pilose hairs; peduncles and receptacles sparsely
resinous-papillose (not golden puberulous); very young new shoots pale citron-
sericeous, quickly passing to glabrous phyllodes; spreading shrubby trees to 4 m,
normally on ridges and upper slopes of ranges 8. A. hamersleyensis
46. Sepals free and linear-spathulate; legumes chartaceous, ± glabrescent, loosely
reticulate; phyllodes very variable in shape and size, grey-green, together with
branchlets minutely appressed puberulous (at least when young); tall shrubs or
trees common on alluvial flats *A. aneura
Characters not combined as above; sepals normally united 47
47. Phyllode nerves rather widely spaced (interstices readily observable and wider
than diameter of the nerves); phyllodes about 3-5 cm long and 5-10 mm wide;
legumes woody and glabrous; uncommon shrubs 48
Phyllode nerves very fine and close together, either uniform or 1 or more slightly
more evident than the rest; legumes chartaceous to coriaceous, hairy or
glabrous 49
48. Phyllodes anfl brachlets glabrous; legumes not wrinkled, narrowed towards their
base, 6-8 mm wide, to 6 cm long; phyllodes with numerous, prominent,
longitudinal nerves which rarely anastomose *A. ptychophylla
Phyllodes and branchlets densely and minutely appressed sericeous; legumes
coarsely wrinkled when dry, narrowly oblong, 1-2 cm wide, to 16 cm long;
phyllodes with rather few, not prominent, widely spaced main longitudinal
nerves with sparsely and openly anastomosing, longitudinally oriented lateral
nerves between them *A. cuthbertsonii
49. Branchlets and/or phyllodes (at least when young) and flowering peduncles
hairy (observe at xlO mag,); legumes hairy or glabrous; bark never “Minni
Ritchi” 50
Branchlets and phyllodes glabrous or if sparsely hairy then bark “Minni Ritchi”
i.e. red and exfoliating in narrow shavings which curl retrorsely from each end;
legumes glabrous 51
50. Low shrubs to 1 m tall; young legumes with sparse, short, spreading hairs,
mature legumes not seen; stipules frequently persistent on branchlets, dark
brown, 1-2 mm long; phyllodes (3.5) 4-5.5 cm long, 6-10 mm wide, very sparsely
reticulate; new shoots not golden hairy; spikes dense 5. A. daweana
Tall shrubs (exceeding 1 m) or more commonly small trees; stipules early
deciduous 13. A. xiphophylla
(or a short phyllode variant of A. citrinoviridis, see lead 44 above).
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
73
51. Bark “Minni Ritchi”; phyllodes 4.5-6.5 cm long, 5-8 mm wide; flower-heads
dense; calyx slightly more than half the length of the corolla; legumes narrowly
oblong, c. 5 mm wide; seeds longitudinal lid. *A. rhodophloia
Bark grey; flower-heads often less dense than above; calyx half or less than half
the length of the corolla 52
52. Legumes narrowly oblong, 4-7 mm wide; seeds longitudinal to longitudinally
oblique in the legumes; phyllodes variable, linear to narrowly elliptic, 4.5-9 (10-
12.5) cm long, 2-8 mm wide, length to width ratio 9-40 lie. *A. stowardii
Legumes broadly oblong 10-26 mm wide; seeds transverse to transversely
oblique in the legumes; phyllodes ± narrowly elliptic, 3-7. 5(9) cm long, 4-
15(17) mm wide, length to width ratio 3-13 11c. *A. kempeana
1. Acacia arrecta Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 2)
Acacia arida Benth. et A. orthocarpa F. Muell. affinis a qua capitulis floralibus
globularibus, phyllodiis nec punctulatis, (1. 5)2-4 cm longis, 1 mm diam., teretibus,
sursum curvatis differ!. Etiam ad Acacia hilliana Maiden affinis a qua capitalis
floralibus globularibus et marginibus leguminis nec incrassatis differ!.
Typus: 11 km E of Wittenoom on the road to Port Hedland, Western Australia. 12
July 1980. B. R. Maslin 4644. “Dense rounded shrub 1 m tall, sometimes spreading
and ± flat-topped, dividing at ground level into 6 main branches; bark grey;
phyllodes grey-green, slightly curved, ascending; inflorescences and legumes erect.
Stony clay in spinifex with Acacia hilliana.” (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL).
Low, dense, spreading, rounded or + flat-topped, slightly viscid shrubs to 1 tall
and 2 rn diam., dividing at ground level into up to 6 main branches. Bark smooth
except at extreme base of stems where it is slightly fissured, grey but reddish brown
towards ends of branches. Branches terete, with crenulated resinous ribs which are
most evident towards the ends of the branchlets, glabrous. New shoots light to
medium green, slightly resinous. Stipules deciduous. Phyllodes terete but slightly
compressed upon drying, (1. 5)2-4 cm long, 1mm diam., curved upwards near the
base to give a characteristic ascending aspect, glabrous except for the pulvinus, grey-
green; abruptly narrowed at apex into callose, acute, innocuous, straight or slightly
hooked, light orange-brown points which are c. 1 mm long; pulvinus obscure, c.
0.5 mm long, obscurely transversely wrinkled, yellowish orange, grooved adaxially
near base, groove densely villous; nerves 8, barely visible, submerged; gland obscure,
situated on the upper margin of the phyllode at the distal end of the pulvinus,
comprising raised yellowish nectiferous tissue c. 0.2 mm diam., orifice absent.
Inflorescences simple and axillary, 1-2 per node, erect. Peduncles 15-40 mm long,
robust, glabrous, slightly resinous; basal peduncular bract solitary, small (c. 0.8 mm
long), triangular and ± persistent. Flower-heads globular, light golden 30-45-
flowered, c. 7-10 mm diam. at anthesis, quite resinous, flowers densely arranged;
bracteoles c. 1 mm long, glabrous, claws linear and ending in thickened and inflexed
laminae. Flowers 5-merous, buds bluntly acute. Calyx stout, 1/2-2/3 length of corolla,
very shortly divided into broadly triangular lobes, calyx tube strongly 5-nerved with
translucent tissue between nerves. Petals 2.5 mm long, connate for c. 2/3 their length,
glabrous, 1 -nerved. Legumes erect, subterete to compressed, not constricted between
the seeds, tapering towards the base, 4-5.5 cm long, 4-6 mm wide at broadest point,
woody, glabrous, yellowish brown to dark brown, vernicose when youngs
longitudinally nerved, splitting elastically from the top, valves curved following
dehiscence, shallowly sigmoid with a swollen apical portion; margins not thickened.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Seeds positioned obliquely in the legumes within pronounced depressions, rather
persistent following dehiscence of legume, ellipsoid, 3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, turgid
but laterally compressed (2 mm thick), blackish and rather dull, marked with a
darker coloured narrow peripheral band of tissue; pleurogram fine, open towards the
hilum, bordered by pale coloured tissue; areole c. 1.7 mm long, 0.6 mm wide; funicle-
aril narrowly turbinate and straight.
Figure 2. Acacia arrecta. A — Portion of branch. B and C — Seed (B — plane view; C — side view).
D — Legumes held erect on receptacle (note persistent seeds following dehiscence). E — Flower.
F — Phyllode with enlargements showing apex and transverse sectional shape (note position of the 8
nerves).
A from 7. L. Lethbridge s.n.; B-D from M. I. H. Brooker 2089a; E from K. Stewart s.n.; F from B. R. Maslin
4644 (the type).
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 15 mi (24 km) E of
Nullagine, J. S. Beard 4603 (KP); Millstream, 6 Dec. 1974 and 10 Oct. 1975, R. F.
Black s.n. (PERTH); Southern tributary of the Fortescue River just E of Gregory
Gorge, 30 Jan. 1975, R. F. Black s.n. (NSW, PERTH); About 0.5 mi (1 km) SE of
Millstream Station homestead, M.l.H. Brooker 2089a (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH);
2 mi (3.4 km) E of Yampire Gorge, 22°20'S, 118°30'E, Lf. Demarz 4416 (KP,
PERTH); Wittenoom Gorge, Hamersley Range, A. S. George 1068 (PERTH); 10 mi
(16 km) SE of Wittenoom on Drillers Hill, July and Aug. 1971, I. L. Lethbridge s.n.
(BRI, PERTH); 40 km E of Wittenoom, A. A. Mitchell 348 (PERTH, WAIT);
Wittenoom Gorge, Sept. 1957, K. Stewart s.n. (PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 10) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District (1:250 000 maps F50-6, 7, 11, 12; F51-5). Ranging from Millstream (21°35'S,
117°04'E) east to near Nullagine (21°53'S, 120°07'E) and extending south to the
northern part of the Hamersley Range around Wittenoom Gorge (22°14'S,
118°20'E).
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
75
Habitat. Judging from the relatively few collections to hand, the species favours low
rocky hills and associated stony flats in shrub-steppe dominated by ‘spinifex’
(Triodia sp.).
Flowering and fruiting period. It appears as though some flowers are present during
most months of the year but the main period is from about December and August.
Legumes with mature seeds have been collected in late September. Specimens
collected between July and September frequently possess both flowers (in bud and at
anthesis) and also developing legumes.
Using Pedley’s (1978) classification, A. arrecta is placed in section Plurinerves
(Benth.) Maiden et Betcbe. In Bentham’s (1864) classification the species would
occur in series Calamiformes (Benth.) Benth., an unnatural series not recognized by
Pedley.
Acacia arrecta is a distinctive species with its small, terete, ascending phyllodes, its
quite large, globular flower-beads which are held erect, its erect, woody ± terete,
basally narrowed, longitudinally nerved legumes and its straight, narrowly turbinate
funicle-aril. These carpological features are essentially the same as those of the
closely related species A. arida Benth. and A. orthocarpa F. Muell. but A. arrecta is
readily distinguished by its globular (not cylindrical) flower-heads and its non-
punctate phyllodes which are either narrower or shorter. In habit and general
phyllode morphology the species resembles A. hilliana Maiden but is again
distinguished by its globular flower-heads and also by its legumes which lack
prominently thickened margins. Acacia arida, A. orthocarpa and A. hilliana are all
recorded for the Hamersley Range.
The specific epithet alludes to the characteristically ascending phyllodes and also
to the erect inflorescences which bear legumes that are held rigidly erect.
2. Acacia atkinsiana Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 3)
Acacia rhodophloia Maslin affinis a qua cortice cinereis non ‘Minni Ritchi’, etiam
characteribus secundis in combinatione differt; capitulis floralibus obloideis (sub
anthesi c. 10 mm longis et 8 mm latis), et leguminibus 4-6 mm latis.
Typus: 1 km along South Fortescue Pipeline road (towards Mt Tom Price) from the
Mt Bruce to Wittenoom road, 22°38'S, 117°59'E, Western Australia. 10 May 1980.
Malcolm Trudgen 2493. “Bush 2.2m tall, spreading habit. Bark smooth, reddish
brown, rough and fibrous at base of largest stems. Phyllodes dull green. Flowers
yellow. Growing in stony, red-brown soil on hilltop. Veg: Triodia wiseana hummock
grassland with Eucalyptus leucophloia emergents.” (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB K
NY). ’ ’
Open, spreading, rounded or infundibular shrubs to 3.3 m tall and with up to c. 6
spreading-erect main stems arising from ground level, occasionally single-stemmed
and with a spindly aspect, becoming bushy in regrowth situations. Bark fissured at
base of main stems otherwise smooth, grey externally but reddish brown underneath.
New shoots resinous, dark brownish when dry, either terminal on branchlets or if
axillary then associated with inflorescences. Branchlets terete, very obscurely nerved,
glabrous, apically somewhat resinous and reddish brown or light brown but becoming
grey with age. Stipules deciduous, triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, thickened adaxially.
Phyllodes variable, very narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, 6-14.5 cm long.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
(4)5-10(12) mm wide, length to width ratio (8.5)10-20(26), slightly curved, ascending,
coriaceous hut not particularly rigid, glabrous, characteristically pale grey-green,
reflecting sunlight in a ± silvery fashion, resinous (resin layer very thin and not
sticky); apex possessing a brown, obtuse, knob-like callosity which is often slightly
recurved, callosity very pronounced on young phyllodes; pulvinus 3-5 mm long,
transversely wrinkled, yellow to brown; gland situated on upper margin of the
phyllode at the distal end of the pulvinus, lamina swollen about the gland,
submerged, comprising a circular orifice c. 0.3 mm diam. and a very indistinct rim;
longitudinal nerves numerous, very fine and close together, not anastomosing, the
central nerve and normally one on either side of it slightly more evident than the
rest, margins yellowish but not thickened. Inflorescences axillary, 1-2 per node,
normally arising at extreme base of a rudimentary shoot which usually grows out.
Peduncles 8-15 mm long, rather stout, glabrous; basal peduncular bract deciduous,
triangular, c. 1-1.5 mm long, concave. Flower-heads obloid, c. 10 mm long and 8 mm
wide at anthesis, somewhat resinous, c. 90-flowered, flowers densely arranged;
bracteoles linear-spathulate, c. 1-1.5 mm long, lamina inflexed and resin-papillose
(papillae white). Flowers predominantly 5-merous although a few 6-merous flowers
are present in some heads. Calyx slightly exceeding half the length of the corolla,
gamosepalous, stout, very shallowly divided into broadly triangular resin-papillose
(papillae white) lobes which are visible in inflorescence buds, calyx tube ± obscurely
5-nerved and glabrous. Petals c. 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous, 1-nerved. Legumes broadly
linear, to 10 cm long, 4-6 mm wide, slightly curved, ± cartilaginous to firmly
chartaceous, wrinkled when young, flat, barely raised over seeds, glabrous, slightly
greyish brown, somewhat resinous but not sticky, abruptly narrowed at apex, basal
stipe c. 5 mm long; margins slightly thickened, not constricted between seeds. Seeds
longitudinal to very slightly obliquely placed in the legume, narrowly obloid or
sometimes narrowly elliptic, narrowed at hilar end, 4.5-5 mm long, 2 mm wide,
somewhat compressed (1 mm thick), dark brown but areolar area yellowish, not
mottled, shiny; pleurogram obscure, open towards the hilum, surrounded by
yellowish tissue; areole less than 0.5 mm long; funicle c. 3 mm long, flattened and
membranous, gradually expanded into a convoluted creamy white aril which extends
down c. 1/3 the length of the seed.
Selected specimens. WESTERN AUSTRALIA; About 1 km S of Tom Price airport,
K. Atkins 1209 (CANB, PERTH) and 1213 (K, PERTH); Marandoo, just S of Mount
Bruce, Hamersley Range, ± 22°40'S, 118°09'E, C. Dawe M154 (CBG, PERTH); Rio
Tinto Gorge, Hamersley Station, H. Demarz D5755 (KP, PERTH); 65 km W of
Midstream, H. Demarz D7084 (PERTH, TLF); 75 mi (120 km) from Wittenoom
towards Roebourne, B. R. Maslin 2733 (AD, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 14 mi (22.5 km)
S of Robe River crossing on North West Coastal Highway, B. R. Maslin 2761 (B,
BM, G, NSW, P, PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, on the Wittenoom to
Juna Downs road 7.2 mi (11.5 km) S of turn-off to Mount Bruce, M. E. Trudgen 2503
and G. Marney (BRI, PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 10) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District (1:250 000 maps F50-6, 7, 10, 11, 16). Extending from the vicinity of Mount
Bruce in the Hamersley Range (22°36'S, 118°08'E) north-west to the North West
Coastal Highway around Yarraloola Station (21°34'S, 115°53'E).
Habitat. Favours rocky loam on spinifex (Triodia pungens, T. wiseana) plains and is
associated with a variety of species including Acacia ancistrocarpa, A. aneura, A.
pruinocarpa, Cassia spp.. Eucalyptus leucophloia, etc. Acacia atkinsiana often forms
dense regrowth populations in disturbed sites such as along road verges and in burnt
areas.
3 cm
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
77
Figure 3. Acacia atkinsiana. A— Portion of branch. B— Legume. C— Seed. D— Flower.
A from M. E. Trudgen 2503 and G. Marney, B, C from H. Demarz D5755; D from B. R. Maslin 2761.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Flowering and fruiting period. Most flowering specimens have been gathered from
May to July, however, some have also been collected between December and March.
From anthesis it takes about 3 months for seed to mature. Fruits with mature seeds
have been collected in September and October.
Acacia atkinsiana belongs to section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and is a
member of the A. stowardii Maiden group of species (see species no. 11 below). The
new species is most closely related to A. rhodophloia Maslin from which it is readily
distinguished by its grey bark (not red and exfoliating in narrow strips which curl
retrorsely from each end i.e. ‘Minni Ritchi’). Acacia rhodophloia is a variable species
(Maslin, 1980) and throughout most of its range has cylindrical flower-heads, a
character further distinguishing it from A. atkinsiana. However, in the region of the
Murchison River (which is about 600 km south of the main area of distribution of A.
atkinsiana) A. rhodophloia has flower-heads which are globular or obloid and
phyllodes which are 3-8 mm wide. Flowering specimens from these populations may
therefore resemble those of A. atkinsiana, but in addition to its grey bark and its
more northerly distribution, the new species is recognized by its generally longer
phyllodes (4-8(9) cm in the Murchison River variant of A. rhodophloia), its lack of
minute, ferruginous resin-hairs on its new shoots, peduncles, calyx lobes and
bracteole laminae, and by its broader legumes (2 mm wide on the Murchison River
variant).
The specimen, H. Demarz D7084, 65 km W of Millstream, previously cited under
A. rhodophloia (Maslin, 1980) is A. atkinsiana.
The species is named in honour of Mr Ken Atkins who provided much valuable
field data and many specimens of Acacia from the Tom Price-Paraburdoo area.
3. Acacia bivenosa DC., Prod. 2: 452 (1825)
The Hamersley Range populations of this variable species are characterized as
follows. Dense, bushy shrubs to 2.5 m tall, with up to 6 spreading-erect branches
arising from ground level, occasionally single-stemmed and whispy (see pendulous
variant referred to below). Phyllodes obovate to narrowly elliptic, 2-5.5 cm long, 8-
15 mm wide, length to width ratio 2.5-6, bright green on new growth, fleshy and
subglaucous to distinctly glaucescent when mature, finely wrinkled upon drying, 2-
nerved (the principal longitudinal nerve is ± centrally situated and a minor second
nerve occurs on the adaxial side of it). Inflorescences racemose but racemes normally
grow out as leafy shoots, the peduncles then appearing axillary, conflorescence
acropetalous, flower-heads rich golden, buds bright green. Legumes woody.
As discussed by Pedley (1977) A. bivenosa is a member of a complex species-group
whose centre of diversity is Western Australia. The Hamersley Range populations of
A. bivenosa often have phyllodes slightly more elongate than normal for this species
which according to Pedley are usually less than 3.5 times as long as wide. Seemingly
when initiated the inflorescences are always racemes of which most, but usually not
all, grow out as leafy shoots. This explains why on a single plant both racemes and
siniple axillary heads can be observed. No plants definitely attributable to the sand-
loving species A. ligulata A. Cunn. ex Benth. hav'e been observed from the Hamersley
Range area. This species is very closely related to A. bivenosa and differs in its
generally more elongate, 1 -nerved phyllodes and in its racemes which normally do
not grow out. Pedley (l.c.) treats A. ligulata as a subspecies of A. bivenosa, however,
I feel that until a thorough analysis of these two species and their allies has been
79
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
undertaken it is preferable to treat them as distinct species. If subspecific rank is
applied, then other species such as A. rostellifera Benth., A. xanthina Benth., A.
tysonii Luehm. and perhaps even A. sclerosperma F. MuelL, A. ampliceps Maslin
and A. salicina Lindl. would have to be considered subspecies of a single, highly
polymorphic species. Judging from morphological evidence based on limited field
observations, it seems that hybridity may possibly be a causal factor in contributing
to the complexities observed within this species-group. Chromosomal and pollen
analyses of the possible hybrids discovered so far are currently being undertaken and
the results will be published elsewhere.
In various places between Tom Price in the Hamersley Range and Dampier on the
coast some 200 km to the north, a very attractive variant of A. bivenosa has been
observed. It seemingly differs from typical A. bivenosa only in its habit (although
legumes and seeds have not been seen) which is open and rather whispy. The variant
is single-stemmed or sparingly branched at ground level and has delicate,
characteristically pendulous branchlets. I have refrained from attributing formal
rank to this variant until a detailed overall appraisal of the A. bivenosa group is
undertaken.
4. Acacia cuspidifolia Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 4)
Acacia victoriae Benth. affinis a qua phyllodiis pungentibus, inflorescentiis semper
axillaribus differt. Etiam ad Acacia pickardii Tindale affinis a qua phyllodiis nlanis
differt.
Typus: 2 km south of Hill 4 East (mine) Paraburdoo, Western Australia. 28 Nov.
1980. K. Atkins 1257. “Sub-tree 3.5 m tall. Growing on a low silcrete mound in
association with Acacia victoriae, Lawrencia glomerata and Enchylaena tomentosa.”
(holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, NY).
Dense, bushy, much branched shrubs to c. 3 m diam., growing to more or less
gnarled trees 3-7 m tall. Bark fibrous and fissured on main trunks. Branchlets terete,
finely nerved, glabrous or sometimes sparsely puberulous, grey-green to brownish.
Stipules 2-4 mm long, stout, indurate, spiny, spreading and slightly recurved, absent
from some nodes. Phyllodes narrowly oblong to narrowly obovate, size rather
variable, (2)3-6(7.5) cm long, 2-5 mm wide, L/W = 6-15(25), straight to slightly
curved, normally medium olive green when mature, bright light green when young,
glabrous to glabrescent, ± abruptly contracted at apices into fine yet sharply
pungent light brown apical points c. 2 mm long; pulvinus obscure and < 0.5 mm
long; midrib prominent, lateral veins fine (yet readily apparent at least when dry)
and forming a sparse open reticulum; gland situated on the upper margin of the
phyllode at the distal end of the pulvinus or up to 5 mm above it, circular to oblong,
0.5-1 mm long, lip not prominent, an additional (smaller) gland normally present on
tbe upper margin below the apical mucro. Inflorescences simple and axillary, (1)2 per
node, conflorescences acropetalous i.e. inflorescences initiated within axils of young
phyllodes along actively growing terminal new shoots, these subtending phyllodes
reach maturity by the time the heads reach anthesis. Peduncles 15-20 mm long,
glabrous or sometimes puberulous, base ebracteate at anthesis. Flower-heads
globular, pale yellow, 23-32-flowered. Bracteoles linear-spathulate, 0.5-1 mm long,
laminae ciliolate, claws glabrous. Flowers 5-merous. Sepals 1/3-1/2 length of petals^
free or variably united for c. 1/2 their length, this range of variation present even in a
single flower-head, narrowly oblong, apically minutely puberulous. Petals c. 2.5 mm
long, apically marginally minutely white-papillose otherwise glabrous, nerveless.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
cuspidifolia. A Portion of branch (note recurved spiny stipules and twinned peduncles).
B — Phyllode apex showing spiny apical mucro with a small gland (g) at its base. C— Flower. D~Bracteole.
E — Legume. F and G — Seed showing strap-like funicle (F — side view; G — plane view).
A, B from H. Demarz 2778; C, D from A. M. Ashby 4491; E-G from B. R. Maslin 2771.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
81
Legumes narrowly oblong, 4.5-9 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, chartaceous, flat, glabrous,
light brown, transversely openly reticulate, slightly umbonate over seeds; margins
barely thickened, yellowish, normally only very slightly constricted between the
seeds but random deep constrictions do occur. Seeds positioned transversely to
obliquely in the legume, broadly ellipsoid to broadly obovoid, 6-7.5 mm long, 5-6 mm
wide, compressed (1.5-2 mm thick), brown, not shiny; pleurogram an elongated “u”-
shape, open towards the hilum; areole c. 1.5 mm long. 0.5-1 mm wide, a darker colour
than rest of the seed prior to maturity; funicle relatively thick and strap-like,
normally straight but once-folded close to the hilum, not expanded into an aril.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: North West Coastal
Highway between Geraldton and Carnarvon, c. 5 km S of Yaringa Station turn-off,
A. M. Ashby 4491, flower specimens collected 12 Dec. 1971, fruits collected by G.
Phillips from the same plant 15 April 1972 (CANB, K, MEL, PERTH); About 130
km N of Meekatharra on Great Northern Highway, K. Atkins 1264 (PERTH); West
of Salt Lake, J. S. Beard 3510 (KP, PERTH); Gascoyne Junction, J. S. Beard 4366
(PERTH); 33 km along road from Mundiwindi to Mount Newman, H. Demarz 611
(KP, PERTH); 53.5 mi (85.5 km) N of Meekatharra, H. Demarz 2778 (KP, PERTH);
45 km N of Lyndon River, H. Demarz 7652 (PERTH); Dairy Creek Station, 160 mi
(256 km) E of Carnarvon, R. OTarrell 48 (PERTH); Merlinleigh, between Gascoyne
and Minilya Rivers, C. A. Gardner 6152 (PERTH); Wandagee, Minilya River, C. A.
Gardner 6208 (PERTH); 125 km S of Carnarvon of North West Coastal Highway, B.
R. Maslin 2771 (PERTH); Paraburdoo, B. R. Maslin 4653 (PERTH); 41.5 km E of
North West Coastal Highway on the Carnarvon-Gascoyne Junction road, B. R.
Maslin 4996 (PERTH); 24.5 km S of Gascoyne Junction on the road to Towrana
Station, B. R. Maslin 5003 (PERTH); Glenburgh Station, 120 km E of Gascoyne
Junction on the road to Meekatharra, B. R. Maslin 5012 (PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 10) North-west Western Australia in the Ashburton,
Carnarvon, northern Austin and southern Fortescue Botanical Districts (1:250 000
maps F49-16; F50-13, 15; F51-13; G50-1, 5, 6, 8) extending from the vicinity of Shark
Bay (c. 25°30'S, 114°E) east to near Meekatharra (26°35'S, 118°30'E) and north to
the Hamersley Range. The species extends only to the southern extremity of the
Hamersleys (around Paraburdoo — 23°12'S, 117°40'E) and is not a conspicuous
element of the Acacia flora of the region.
Habitat. Favours open floodplain areas in clay or loam.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers from October to December; mature seed has
been collected in April and June.
Acacia cuspidifolia is a member of Sect. Phyllodineae DC. and has its closest
affinities with the widespread, variable species A. victoriae Benth. These two species
have been observed to grow sympatrically in places e.g. between Carnarvon and
Gascoyne Junction. The significant gross morphological features shared by the two
species include their spiny stipules, their flat, 1 -nerved phyllodes, their normally
twinned inflorescences, their globular, pale yellow flower-heads bearing a similar
number of flowers, their ± free sepals and their large, flat, chartaceous legumes.
Acacia cuspidifolia is readily distinguished from A. victoriae by its pungent
phyllodes and by its inflorescences which are never racemosely arranged. Pollen
studies by Ph. Guinet (pers. comm.) support a close A. cuspidifolia- A. victoriae
relationship and also show these species to be closely related to A. pickardii Tindale
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
(which is restricted to the extreme north-east of South Australia and adjacent
Northern Territory). Acacia pickardii is distinguished from these two species, and
indeed from all other members of the A. victoriae group by its terete, pungent
phyllodes.
The specific epithet alludes to the spiny phyllode apices which are characteristic
for this taxon.
5. Acacia daweana Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 5)
Acacia hammondii Maiden et A. malloclada Maiden et Blakely affinis sed
combinatione characterum secundarum distinguenda: fruticibus ad 1 m altis
phyllodiis anguste ellipticis (3.5) 4-5.5 cm longis, 6-10 mm latis, nervis tenuibus
numerosisque nervo medio (et plerumque nervo uterque latis) plus prominentibus,
parce reticulatis; spicis densis; calyce breviter tomentoso.
Typus: 6 km N of Marandoo (which is just south of Mount Bruce) on the road to
Tom Price, 22°35'S, 118°05'E, Western Australia. 16 July 1980. B. R. Maslin 4682.
“Shrub 1 m tall, stem 2-branched at base; phyllodes dull green; flower-heads bright
golden. Low rocky rise in spinifex at base of rocky range.” (holo; PERTH, iso:
CANB, K, NY).
Low, spreading, often more or less flat-topped, dense shrubs to 1 m tall, dividing
near ground level into a few to many spreading-erect, slender branches. Bark on
main stems grey but near their base peeling to reveal a reddish undersurface.
Branchlets terete, very finely nerved, very slightly resinous, apically yellow but
becoming reddish-brown with age, shortly tomentose or shortly antrorsely strlgose
but becoming glabrous with age. Stipules frequently persistent on branchlets,
triangular, 1-2 mm long, 0.6-0. 8 mm wide at base, dark brown, 3-nerved (nerves
sometimes obscure), adaxially appressed hairy or sometimes glabrous. Phyllodes
narrowly elliptic with the upper margin slightly more convex than the lower margin,
(3.5)4-5.5 cm long, 6-10 mm wide, length to width ratio 4.5-8, straight or more
normally slightly curved towards the apex, rather spreading, glabrous or glabrescent
(indumentum as on branchlets), medium olive green, not shiny; apical mucro
thickened, acute but not pungent, normally slightly curved, brown; pulvinus 1-2 mm
long, transversely wrinkled, yellowish; nerves fine with the central one (and normally
one on either side of it) more evident than the rest, very sparsely anastomosing,
nerves close together but the interstices broader than the width of the nerve,
marginal nerve discrete and yellow; gland situated on upper margin of the phyllode
at the distal end of the pulvinus (or 1-3 mm above it), obscure, 0.3-0.5 mm long, lip
narrow and yellowish and not significantly thickened, normally with a discrete
circular or oblong central orifice. Inflorescences simple and axillary but sometimes
appearing falsely racemose due to the loss of the subtending phyllode, 1 per node,
somewhat clustered towards the ends of the branchlets. Peduncles 5-10 mm long,
indumentum as on branchlets, base ebracteate at anthesis. Spikes light golden,
flowers densely arranged, 25-40 mm long and 5-6 mm wide when dry; bracteoles
linear-spathulate, minute (< 1 mm long), light or dark brown, sparsely hairy
abaxially, lamina indexed and acute. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx c. 1/3 the length of the
corolla, cupular, gamosepalous, shortly divided into broadly triangular lobes, shortly
tomentose. Petals c. 1.7 mm long, connate for c. 1/2 their length, glabrous or sparsely
shortly tomentose on lower half, obscurely 1-nerved. Ovary papillose. Legumes
(immature, few seen) to 40 mm long and 7 mm wide, prominently raised over seeds.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
83
the umbo dark browit and the intervening flat area greyish brown, rather obscurely
transversely reticulate, slightly viscid, sparsely shortly pilose with a mixture of white
and yellow hairs; margins yellowish, constricted between the seeds. Seeds (immature)
obliquely placed in the legume, ± ellipsoid, 3 mm long, 2 mm wide, light brown, not
shiny; funicle-aril somewhat thickened and fleshy, convoluted yellowish, somewhat
shiny.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: East side of a conical hill
lying 3 km W of Mt Bruce, C. G. Dawe 210 (PERTH); 15 km N of Juna Downs on
the road to Wittenoom, B. R. Maslin 4628 (PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 11) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District (1:250 000; F50-11). Known only from the Hamersley Range National Park
where it has been collected from a low hill about 3 km west of Mount Bruce (22°36'S,
]18°08'E) and also 30 km to the south-east at about 15 km north of Juna Downs
Station (22°53'S, 118°29'E). At both these localities A. daweana occurs sympatrically
with A. effusa (see below). Current indications are that both these species have
restricted distributions, however, much of the Hamersley Range area is poorly
collected, therefore, an accurate assessment of their conservation status cannot be
made at tbe present time.
Habitat. As for A. effusa (see below).
Flowering and fruiting period. Due to the paucity of collections the full flowering-
fruiting range has not been determined. All flowering specimens to hand were
gathered in mid-July. The one fruiting specimen seen possessed immature seeds and
was collected in late September. Despite prolific flowering at the Mount Bruce
population very little fruit was set (Chris Dawe, pers. comm.).
Acacia daweana is placed in section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and on
account of its persistent stipules, its narrowly elliptic, multistriate phyllodes, its
long, spicate inflorescences and its gamosepalous calyx, seems best placed near A.
hammondii Maiden (W.A. N.T. Qld.) and A. malloclada Maiden et Blakely (N.T.)
but the relationship is not particularly close. Acacia daweana is distinguised from
both these species by its broader, sparingly reticulate phyllodes, its denser spikes
and its more hairy calyx. Acacia hammondii has glabrous or glabrescent branchlets
and grows to a tree about 4 m tall (Pedley 1978: 155). Its phyllodes have two nerves
slightly more pronounced than the rest and these are situated more or less midway
between the centre of the phyllode and each of its margins. Acacia daweana on the
other hand has conspicuously short-tomentose hranchlet apices, is a shrub to 1 m tall
and has its phyllodes show the central nerve to be slightly more evident than the
rest. Acacia malloclada apparently is not a very common species and besides the type
(which is simply annotated “Northern Australia”) the only other specimen known to
me is G. Chippendale 4347 collected from 2.6 mi (4 km) N of Edith River, Northern
Territory (NT). According to John Maconochie (pers. comm.) the plants at this
locality are spreading shrubs to 2 m tall. Although A. malloclada has quite densely
hairy branchlets (hairs more or less silky and antrorse) it can be distinguished from
A. daweana (in addition to the characters already noted above) by its phyllodes
which are more coarsely striate and which do not have a more pronounced central
nerve.
The species is named in honour of Chris Dawe in appreciation of his help in
collecting specimens and providing valuable field data on many of the species
included in this paper.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 5. Acacia daweana. A —Portion of branch. B — Phyllode with enlargement showing apex, sparsely
anastomosing nerves in middle of lamina and base showing stipules (s). C — Flower. A from B. R. Maslin
4682 (the type); B, C from B. R. Maslin 4628.
1 cm
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
6. Acacia effusa Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 6)
85
Ex affinitate A. lysiphloia F. Muell. et specierum affinium sed fruitice ad 1 m alto;
phyllodiis asymmetrice ellipticis ad apice rostriformibus, 9-15 mm longis, 3-7 mm
latis distinguenda.
Typus: 6 km N of Marandoo (which is situated just south of Mount Bruce) on the
road to Tom Price, Hamersley Range, 22°35'S, 118°05'E, Western Australia. 16 July
1980. B. R. Maslin 4681. “Low, dense, spreading, sometimes flat-topped shrub to 1 m
X 2-3 m; bark ‘Minni Ritchi’; phyllodes olive green, venation mealy white; spikes
bright golden. Low rocky rise in spinifex at base of rocky range.” (holo; PERTH; iso:
CANB, K, MEL).
Low, dense, somewhat viscid, wide-spreading shrubs to 1 m tall and 2-3 m diam.,
either domed or flat-topped, stems branching at ground level. Bark “Minni Ritchi”,
outer cortex grey (old trunks) or greyish red (younger branches) and exfoliating in
narrow shavings which tend to curl retrorsely from each end to reveal a dull red
under layer. Branchlets terete, obscurely nerved, minutely puberulous (hairs very
fine, patent, ± straight or curled), becoming glabrous with age. Stipules persistent on
branchlets but deciduous with age, triangular, 1-2 inm long, scarious, dark brown.
Phyllodes asymmetrically elliptic with rostriform apices (i.e. rounded and ending in
a laterally positioned, acute, subpungent, straight, brown mucro), 9-15 mm long, 3-
7 mm wide, length to width ratio 2-4, ± ascending, indumentum as on branchlets,
olive green; with one central nerve and a second longitudinal nerve running adjacent
to the thickened adaxial margin, lateral nerves anastomosing and trending
longitudinally, nerves sometimes meally (observe fresh); pulvinus c. 0.5 mm long,
yellowish; gland not prominent, situated on the upper margin of the phyllode 2-
4.5 mm above the pulvinus, margin sometimes shallowly indented about the gland,
circular or slightly elongated, c. 0.3 mm long, lip not prominent, sometimes with a
dark brown central area. Inflorescences simple and axillary, 1 per node, concentrated
towards the ends of the branches. Peduncles 7-10 mm long, puberulous, base
ebracteate at anthesis, often with a very small (0.5-1 mm long) appressed brown
scarious bract situated on upper half of peduncles. Spikes bright golden, normally
about twice as long as the peduncles (10-15 mm at anthesis or up to 25 mm when in
fruit), flowers not particularly densely arranged; bracteoles subsessile, c. 0.5 mm
long, laminae slightly thickened and slightly inflexed, apiculate, glabrescent. Flowers
5-merous but occasionally a few 4-merous flowers interspersed within the spikes.
Calyx rather membranous, glabrescent, about 1/3 the length of the corolla, divided
1/2-2/3 its length into lobes that are apically yellow. Petals spreading at anthesis,
glabrous, obscurely 1 -nerved (nerves slightly thickened at petal apices). Legumes
circinate, 6-8.5 cm long (expanded length), 7-8 mm wide, thickly coriaceous, flat but
slightly raised over the seeds, resinous, glabrous, dark brown, ± obscurely
longitudinally reticulate; margins thickened, not (or slightly) constricted between the
seed, yellowish. Seeds obliquely positioned in the legume, ellipsoid, 3 mm long,
2.5 mm wide, compressed (1 mm thick), dark tan; pleurogram circular, continuous;
areole situated in the middle of the seed, 0.5 mm diam., surrounded by a definite
band of yellowish tissue which is c. 0.3 mm wide; funicle filiform, c. 1 mm long,
expanded into a large folded aril positioned on top of the seed and often extending
about half way down one side of it, the aril is cream and membranous but becomes
darker and indurate near the hilum.
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No, 1 (1982)
Figure 6. Acacia effusa. A — Portion of branch, B — Legume, C — Node showing phyllode subtended by
stipule (gland position arrowed), D — Flower, E and F — Seed (E — side view; F — plane view),
A, C, D from B. R. Maslin 4681 (the type); B, E, F from C, G. Dawe 212,
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Just west of the base of
Mount Bruce, C. G. Dawe 008 (PERTH); East side of conical hill, 3 km W of Mt.
Bruce, 22°35’S, 118°05’E, C. G. Dawe 212 (BRI, CANB, K, PERTH); 15 km N of
Juna Downs on the road to Wittenoom, B. R. Maslin 4627 (PERTH); North-east
slope of Mount Bruce, R. Pullen 10.940 (AD); Gully at base of south side of Mount
Bruce, Hamersley Range National Park, 22°36’S, 118°07'E, M. E. Trudgen 319 (BRI,
PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, western foot of Mount Bruce, 17 Aug,
1974, J, H. Willis s.n, (MEL 503364, PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 11) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District (1:250 000:F50-11). Known only from the Hamersley Range National Park
where it has been collected from around the base of Mount Bruce (22°36'S,
118°08'E) and also 30 km to the south-east at about 15 km north of Juna Downs
Station (22°53'S, 118°29'E). According to the collector’s notes on C. G. Dawe 008 the
species is common between Mount Bruce and Wittenoom Gorge (22°14'S, 118°20'E).
At the localities from where collections have been made, A. effusa is locally abundant
and occurs sympatrically with A. daweana (see above). Current indications are that
both these species have restricted distributions. However, much of the Hamersley
Range area is poorly collected, therefore an accurate assessment of the conservation
status of these species cannot be made at the present time.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
87
Habitat. Among spinifex {Triodia sp.) in rocky red loam on the lower scree slopes of
low ranges and in particular along creek lines where these watercourses leave the
hills. Acacia effusa seemingly does not extend far up the rocky slopes nor does it
spread far along the alluvial flats where the creeks run into broad valleys.
Flowering and fruiting period. Judging from the specimens at hand the flowering
period extends from about May to August. Legumes with slightly immature seeds
have been collected in late September.
Acacia effusa belongs to section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and is
related to A. lysiphloia F. Muell. and its allies (i.e. A. chisholmii F. M. Bailey, A.
gracillima Tindale and A. tracbycarpa E. Pritzel). These arid zone-subtropical*
species all have “Minni Ritchi” bark (i.e. reddish and exfoliating in narrow shavings
which curl retrorsely from each end), persistent stipules, few-nerved mucronulate
phyllodes, viscid flat reticulate often circinate legumes with thickened margins, and
obliquely positioned, dark coloured seeds with small continuous areoles that are
surrounded by a narrow band of pale coloured tissue. Acacia effusa is readily
distinguished from other members of the A. lysiphloia group by its low, diffuse habit
and by its small, asymmetrically elliptic phyllodes (normally long and linear in the
other species). Acacia monticola J. M. Black is another “Minni Ritchi” species that is
not too distantly removed from the A. lysiphloia group but is readily recognized by
its short, broad phyllodes (12-30 mm long and 5-15 mm wide) and its normally
globular (not spicate) flower-heads. Both A. monticola and A. trachycarpa occur in
the Hamersley Range. Aspects of speciation in Acacia, including the A. lysiphloia
group, are discussed in Hopper and Maslin (1978) and Maslin and Hopper (in press).
The specific epithet refers to the characteristic wide-spreading growth habit of this
species.
7. Acacia exilis Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 7)
Acacia tenuissima F. Muell. affinis a qua ramulis non resinocostatis, phyllodiis 14-
18 cm longis, spicis minus confertis perflavidis (magis aureis), leguminis 4-5 mm
latis, funiculo-arillo albido differ!.
Typus: Hamersley Range National Park, 8.1 km from Milli Milli Springs towards
Coppin Pool, Western Australia. 7 May 1980. Malcolm Trudgen 2413. “A bush 2.5 m
tall with several stems. Bark grey, reddish on upper branchlets, twigs orange.
Flowers yellow. Phyllodes quite soft. Veg: Triodia grassland with Eucalyptus cf.
oleosa (MET 2412) mallee and Acacia. Soil light brown loam (calcrete area).” (holo:
PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, NY).
Shrubs or small trees 3-4 m tall, either single-stemmed or with up to c. 6 main
trunks arising from ground level, main trunks and branches with an ascending
aspect, crowns normally rather dense and bushy. Bark fibrous and longitudinally
fissured on main trunks but smooth on branches and branchlets, grey except on
branchlets which are light brown or red-brown. Branchlets terete, very obscurely
nerved, not resin-ribbed, glabrous. New shoots glabrous, resinous when very young.
Stipules deciduous. Phyllodes filiform, 14-18 cm long, c. 1 mm diam., terete,
ascending, not rigid, slightly curved to very shallowly serpentinous, pale subglaucous,
* Subtropical is used here in a climatological sense (see Maslin and Hopper, in press).
16559 — ( 7 )
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No, 1 (1982)
glabrous except on upper side of the pulvinus at its extreme base which is densely
minutely villous, uniformly longitudinally multistriate; narrowed at apices into
normally delicately hooked, light brown, non-pungent points; pulvinus c. 3 mm long,
orange, wrinkled; gland situated on upper surface of phyllode at distal end of
pulvinus, very indistinct, submerged, phyllode lamina normally very slightly swollen
about the gland. Inflorescences normally twinned and with a new shoot developing
from within the axil, the subtending phyllode often deciduous by the fruiting stage.
Spikes light golden, 1-2 cm long, flowers somewhat distant; bracteoles minute (c.
0.3 mm long), puberulous, claws oblong, laminae inflexed. Peduncles 10-13 mm long,
glabrous, base ebracteate at anthesis. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx cupular, 1/4- 1/3 the
length of the corolla, membranous, sinuate-toothed with widely triangular non-
thickened lobes, white-villous. Petals 1.5-2 mm long, glabrous, very obscurely 1-
nerved. Legumes (slightly immature) narrowly oblong, to 7 cm long, 4-5 mm wide,
firmly chartaceous, gently curved, flat but slightly raised over the seeds, glabrous,
greyish brown; margins constricted between the seeds. Seeds (slightly immature)
longitudinally positioned in the legume, obloid-ellipsoid, 4-4.5 mm long, 2.5 mm
wide, compressed, dark brown but with a yellow central portion, not shiny;
pleurogram “u”-shaped, open towards the hilum; areole c. 0.6 mm long and 0.4 mm
wide; funicle much convoluted, flattened, membranous, whitish, imperceivably
passing into the aril.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Tom Price, 0.8 km from
minesite entrance, K. Atkins 1221 (CANB, K, PERTH); Marra Mamba area,
Fortescue River, Hamersley Range, J. V. Blockley 291 (PERTH); Hamersley Ranges,
22°40'S, 117°43'E, M. Cole WA5097 (PERTH); 27 km from Tom Price on the road
to Paraburdoo, B. R. Maslin 4666 (BRI, CANB, K, MEL, NY, PERTH, WAIT);
20 km S of Tom Price-Dampier rail crossing on the Wittenoom-Nanutarra road, B.
R. Maslin 4672 (PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, 4.8 km from Milli Midi
Springs towards Coppin Pool, M. E. Trudgen 2407 (BM, G. NT, P, PERTH);
Hamersley Range National Park, 1.4 km south-west of hut at Coppin Pool, M. E.
Trudgen 2548 (AD, BRI, NSW, PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 11) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District. (1:250 000 map F50-11). Known only from a restricted area of the
Hamersley Range from Hamersley Station (22°17'S, 117°41'E) south-east to Coppin
Pool (22°53'S, 118°08'E).
Habitat. Low, undulating, rocky hills in ferruginous soil derived from the Marra
Mamba and Brockman Iron Formations (de la Hunty, 1965). Some of the species
recorded in association with A. exilis include A. aneura, A. maitlandii, A,
spondylophylla, Burtonia polyzga, Calytrix longifolia and Goodenia scaevolina. The
ground cover is dominated by species of ‘spinifex’ (Triodia sp.)
Flowering and fruiting periods. Flowers from May to July; legumes with near-mature
seeds have been collected in late September.
Acacia exilis is placed in section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and is most
closely allied to the widespread and zone-subtropical* species A. tenuissima F.
Muell. (W .A., N.T., Qld.). Although both species occur in the Hamersley Range they
have not been observed to grow sympatrically. Acacia exilis is distinguished from A.
tenuissima by its branchlet apices which are not resin-ribbed, its normally longer
phyllodes (14-18 cm compared with 6-15 cm), its longer spikes (10-20 mm compared
with 5-10 mm) which are a light golden colour (paler yellow in A. tenuissima) and
* Subtropical is used here in a climatological sense (see Maslin and Hopper, in press).
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
89
Figure 7. Acacia exilis. A— Phyllode base showing gland (g) and pulvinus (p). B— Flower. C— Portion of
branch, D— Seed. E— Legume (slightly immature).
A from J. V. Bhcklev 291; B from M, K. Trudgen 2413 (the type); C from B. R. Maslin 4666; D, E from M
Cole WA5097,
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
which possess flowers that are less densely arranged, its broader legumes (4-5 mm
compared with 2-3 mm) and its whitish funicle-aril (funicle-aril drying yellow in A.
tenuissima). Although A. tenuissima can reach 4 m tall (Pedley, 1978), in the
Hamersley Range it is generally a shrub not exceeding about 2 m in height. Acacia
exilis on the other hand is a taller shrub or small tree up to 4 m high. In the field,
flowering plants of A. exilis may superficially resemble A. aneura F. Muell. ex Benth.
(the two species occur sympatrically in places), however, the new species is readily
distinguished by its longer, lighter green phyllodes (grey-green in A. aneura), by its
less dense flower-heads and by its long, narrow legumes.
The specific epithet refers to the slender, lax phyllodes.
8. Acacia hamersleyensis Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 8)
Acacia tumida F. Muell. ex Benth., A. citrinoviridis Tindale et Maslin et A.
xiphophylla E. Pritzel affinis sed combinatione characterum secundarum
distinguenda: phyllodiis plerumque leviter falcatis 8-14 cm longis, 1-1. 5(2) cm latis,
demum glabris, manifeste subtiliter nervatis; inflorescentiis axillaribus (non
racemosis); spicis densis, 3-6 cm longis, 6-8 mm latis; leguminibus breviter pilosis,
planis, non rugosis differt.
Typus: Rhodes Ridge, Hamersley Range, ± 23°06'S, 119°25'E, Western Australia. 10
Aug. 1973. M. E. Trudgen 391. “A bush 2.5 m tall. Bark on lower stems silver-grey
and somewhat fissured, higher up bark is grey-brown. Older phyllodes slightly
glaucous, others medium green. Quite common on stony ground just above small
breakaway on the south side of a ridge (forming a thicket at top of ridge).” (holo;
PERTH; iso: CANB, K).
Spreading, open shrubby trees 3.5-4 m tall, often rather slender and with a whispy
aspect when young, single-stemmed or sparingly branched at ground level (with up
to 6 spreading-erect stems when young). Bark grey, normally fibrous and fissured on
main stems especially near their base, smooth on branches. New shoots very pale
citron-sericeous when very young. Branchlets terete but angular towards the apices,
finely ribbed, marked with distant scars of fallen phyllodes, glabrous or sometimes
glabrescent towards the apices, sometimes pruinose. Stipules deciduous. Phyllodes
normally slightly falcate and tapered equally at both ends, slightly asymmetric with
the upper margin more convex than the lower margin, 8-14 cm long, 1-1. 5(2) cm
wide, length to width ratio 6-12, coriaceous, normally speading, glabrous except when
young, subglaucous to distinctly glaucescent, light green when young, the acuminate
apices narrowing to blunt callose points which are slightly hooked; longitudinal
nerves numerous, very fine and close together, neither anastomosing nor basally
confluent, c. 3 nerves yellowish and slightly more evident than the rest, marginal
nerve discrete and yellowish; pulvinus distinct, 5-10 mm long, conspicuously
wrinkled, normally glabrous, light orange, depressed and slightly dilated at the base;
gland situated on the upper margin of the phyllode at the distal end of the pulvinus,
lamina slightly swollen about the gland, submerged, comprising a circular or oblong
pore (0.3-0.6 mm long) and a very obscure rim. Inflorescences simple and axillary but
often falsely racemose at the ends of the branches due to phyllode reduction, 1-2 per
node, clustered at ends ol branches. Peduncles 4-10 mm long, thick, longitudinally
wrinkled, ± sparsely puberulous, base ebracteate at anthesis. Receptacle sparsely
resinous-papillose. Spikes bright medium golden, 3-6 cm long, 6-8 mm wide, flowers
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range.
91
densely arranged; bracteoles linear-spathulate, c. 1 mm long, densely villous, lamina
inflexed. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx 1/2-2/3 length of corolla, divided for 1/3-2/3 its
length into oblong lobes which are apically thickened and yellowish, calyx tube
obscurely 5-nerved and normally brownish, white-villous (indumentum often dense).
Petals 2.5 mm long, connate for c. 1/2 their length, glabrous or glabrescent, obscurely
1 -nerved. Legumes often clustered on receptacles, narrowly oblong, to 8 cm long, 5-
8 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, slightly undulate, slightly resinous, raised over the
seeds, very obscurely reticulate, shortly pilose (hairs pale golden when young but
whitish at maturity), medium brown, abruptly narrowed at apex, basal stipe 3-7 mm
long; margins thickened, yellowish or light brown, not (or sometimes slightly)
constricted between the seeds. Seeds obliquely placed in the legume, obloid to
ellipsoid, 4-4.5 mm long, 2.5-3. 5 mm wide, slightly compressed (c. 2 mm thick), light
greyish brown with pale coloured tissue surrounding the areole, reasonably shiny;
pleurogram obscure, continuous or “u”-shaped and open towards the hilum; areole
minute, 0.2-0.5 mm wide; funicle filiform, expanded into a very pale yellow fleshy
folded aril positioned on top of the seed.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Tom Price townsite, K.
Atkins 445 (PERTH); Upper slopes of Mt Nameless, Tom Price, K, Atkins 1225 (K,
PERTH) and 1240 (MEL, PERTH); Above Devil’s staircase, 22°15'S, 118°20'E, J.
Blockley 378 (KP); Hamersley Ranges, 22°30'S, 117°43'E, M. Cole WA5006
(PERTH); Marandoo Ridge (first ridge S of Mt Bruce), Hamersley Range, C. Dawe
Ml 12 (PERTH, TLF, WAIT); Creek crossing on main Marandoo-Tom Price road, c.
4 km N of Marandoo and immediately west of Mount Bruce, C. G. Dawe 218 (CANB,
PERTH); Mount Whaleback, Newman, B. R. Maslin 4586 (PERTH, WAIT); Rhodes
Ridge, 53.5 km NW of Newman on the road to Juna Downs, B. R. Maslin 4609
(PERTH); 89 km NW’ of Newman on the road to Juna Downs, B. R. Maslin 4621
(PERTH); Wittenoom Gorge, 4 km S of Wittenoom township, B. R. Maslin 4630
(PERTH); Dales Gorge Lookout, Hamersley Range, B. R. Maslin 4646 (PERTH);
Top of Hancock Gorge, Hamersley Range, B. R. Maslin 4677 (PERTH); 4 km N of
Marandoo (just S of Mt Bruce) on the road to Tom Price, B. R. Maslin 4683 (BRI,
NSW, NY, PERTH); In gully near base of south side of Mount Bruce, Hamersley
Range, 22°37'S, 118°07'E, M. E. Trudgen 327; Rhodes Ridge, Hamersley Range, M.
E. Trudgen 391 (PERTH); An unnamed gorge in the Hamersley Range, + 22°25'S,
118°00'E, M. E. Trudgen 1042 (PERTH); Marandoo Ridge, Hamersley Range, +
22°40'S. 118°09'E, M. E. Trudgen 1045 (PERTH); “Manganese” gully, Marandoo
Ridge, Hamersley Range, + 22‘’40'S, 118°09'E, M. E. Trudgen 1151 (MEL,
PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, Marandoo Ridge (first ridge south of Mt
Bruce) on south side, 200 m east of “Grimace Gulch”, M. E. Trudgen 2263 (CANB,
PERTH); Mount Whaleback, Newman, K. Walker 95 (CBG, MEL, NSW, PERTH),
96 (PERTH) and 97 (PERTH); Ophthalmia Range, 23°39'S, 119°43'E, K. Walker
113 (PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, SW declivities of Mount Bruce at c.
3 500 ft. alt., 17 Aug. 1974, J. H. Willis s.n. (PERTH-dup. of MEL 503366).
Distribution. (Figure 11) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue Botanical
District (1:250 000 maps F50-11, 12, 16). Known only from the Hamersley Range
area where it extends from Mount Newman (23°16'S, 119°34'E) west to Paraburdoo
(23°12'S, 117°40'E) and north to the vicinity of Mount Brockman (22°28'S,
117°18'E).
Habitat. Seems restricted to ferruginous soils where it normally grows on the ridges
and the upper slopes of ranges. It not uncommonly forms groves, especially along
watercourses leading from the ranges. Along the high ridges A. hamersleyensis
5 cm
92 Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 8. Acacia hamersleyensis. A — Portion of branch. B — Flower. C — Seed. D — Legume (side and plane
views), A from M. E. Trudgen 391 (the type); B from B. R. Maslin 4630; C, D from C, G. Dawe 218.
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range.
93
frequently assumes a spindly habit and can be seen in places e.g. Mount Newman,
Wittenoom Gorge, to form a whispy band silhouetted against the sky. The species
grows in “spinifex” country e.g. Plectrachne schinzii, Triodia pungens, T. lanigera
and T. wiseana in association with other Acacia species e.g. A. aneura, A.
pruinocarpa, A. maitlandii and Eucalyptus species e.g. Eucalyptus gamophylla, E.
leucophloia and E. dichromophloia.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowering commences in July and extends until about
late August. Legumes with mature seeds have been collected from late September to
early November.
Acacia hamersleyensis belongs to section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and
appears to have affinities with the more widely distributed species A. tumida F.
Muell. ex Bentb., A. citrinoviridis Tindale et Maslin and A. xiphophylla E. Pritzel.
Acacia tumida is common in tropical/subtropical W.A. and N.T. but in the
Hamersley Range area it is relatively uncommon and, unlike A. hamersleyensis is
mainly confined to watercourses. Both this species and A. hamersleyensis are tall
shrubs or small trees with long spicate inflorescences, with glabrous, sometimes
pruinose mature branchlets, and with large, glabrous, sometimes glaucescent,
multistriate phyllodes which are tapered equally at both ends. Acacia hamersleyensis
is distinguished from A. tumida by its often narrower, less conspicuously falcate
phyllodes, its axillary (not racemose), broader spikes and by its non-wrinkled,
shortly pilose legumes.
Acacia citrinoviridis (“river jam”), is also normally restricted to watercourses.
Compared with A. hamersleyensis it is a taller, more graceful tree (to 8 m) which
seemingly flowers mainly between April and July. Acacia citrinoviridis has generally
narrower, more falcate phyllodes which have an appressed, citron or silvery
indumentum until intermediate age (indumentum very quickly lost in A.
hamersleyensis), it has densely golden puberulous peduncles and receptacles and
densely appressed (not patent), citron or silvery sericeous young legumes.
Acacia xiphophylla (“snakewood”) and A. hamersleyensis are small spreading trees
(although more gnarled in the former species) with long, spicate inflorescences and
with phyllodes of a similar shape and size. Acacia xiphophylla occurs on low lying
alluvial flats and flowers mainly between September and February. Morphologically
A. hamersleyensis is distinguished from A. xiphophylla by its more obviously nerved
phyllodes (observe at xlO mag.), its dense spikes, its larger, more deeply divided
calyx wbicb is never golden puberulous, its smaller, pilose legumes and its smaller,
less compressed, oblique seeds. In A. xiphophylla the legumes are glabrous and can
reach 21 cm long and are 1-1.5 cm wide, its longitudinally arranged seeds are 9-
11 mm long, 7-10 mm wide, almost orbicular and are distinctly flattened. Although
both species have yellow sericeous new’ shoots when first initiated, in A.
hamersleyensis these quickly pass to glabrous bright green young phyllodes which in
turn become subglaucous to distinctly glaucescent. In A. xiphophylla on the other
hand the sericeous indumentum turns silver and persists for a considerable time, the
mature phyllodes tend to be more coriaceous and never distinctly glaucescent.
The specific epithet refers to the fact that the species is known only from the
Hamersley Range area.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
9. Acacia marramamba Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 9)
Acacia inaequilatera Domin affinis a qua cortice fibrosa; remulis non-pruinosis,
phyllodiis 2-4 cm longis, 1-2 cm latis, vix undulatis, pallide-viridis vel subglaucis,
obscure reticulatis, axibus racemorum pedunculisque rubiginosis, legumis leviter
arcuatis, funiculo brevissimo differ!.
Typus: Marandoo Ridge (first ridge south of Mount Bruce), Hamersley Range, ±
22°40’S, 118°09’E, Western Australia. 24 June, 1975. Malcolm Trudgen 1338. “A
dense bush 2-2 ''2 metres high, fairly spreading. Bark grey-brown, smooth, dull.
Branchlets red, flower stalks red, leaves dull whitish green. Growing with Triodia
and other Acacia species in stony red loam.” (holo: PERTH; iso; CANB, K).
Spreading shrubby trees 2-3 (5) m tall, becoming ± gnarled and straggly with age,
trunks sparingly divided near ground level. Bark not corky, fibrous and slightly
fissured at base of main trunks otherwise smooth, grey on trunks and branches but
red-brown, light brown or orange on branchlets. Branchlets terete, finely ribbed,
marked with raised scars of fallen phyllodes, glabrous, not pruinose. Stipules
indurate, spinescent, 2-4(7) mm long, patent, straight, brown, often absent from
some nodes especially with age. Phyllodes asymmetrically elliptic, very unequal-
sided with the upper margin longer and much more convex than the lower, 2-4 cm
long, 1-2 cm wide, length to width ratio 1.2-3, coriaceous, barely undulate, glabrous,
pale green to subglaucous, not conspicuously pruinose, + abruptly acuminate and
ending in a straight sharp brown point 1-3 mm long, narrowed towards the base,
margins yellowish; principal nerve situated near lower margin, raised, yellowish,
lateral nerves obscure and tardily anastomosing; pulvinus c. 1 mm long, wrinkled,
slightly dilated at base, brownish; gland situated on upper margin of phyllode at
distal end of the pulvinus or up to 1 mm above it, oblong, c. 0.8 mm long, lip yellow
and very slightly raised, lacking a distinct central orifice. Racemes acropetalous, 1-2
per node, greatly exceeding the phyllodes, 6-15 cm long, concentrated towards the
ends of the branches, the axes together with the peduncles glabrous and red-brown.
Peduncles twinned along raceme axes, 1-2 cm long, base ebracteate and very slightly
dilated. Flower-heads globular, light to medium golden, the red-brown petals often
visible through the stamens in the centre of the heads at anthesis, 25-35-flowered;
bracteoles linear-spathulate, c. 1 mm long, glabrescent. Flowers 5-merous. Sepals
united at their extreme base, linear-spathulate, c. 1/2 length of petals, glabrous,
apically light brown otherwise normally colourless. Petals 1.5-2. 5 mm long, connate
for c. 2/3 their length, the free portion red-brown, glabrous. Legumes narrowly
oblong, to 7.5 cm long, 7-8 mm wide, ± chartaceous, slightly curved, slightly
undulate, raised over seeds (umbo wrinkled), glabrous, slightly shiny, light brown
(yellow-brown prior to maturity); margins narrow, barely constricted between the
seeds. Seeds mostly oblique in the legume although some may be longitudinal, widely
ellipsoid to almost orbicular, 4.5-5 mm long, c. 4 mm wide, slightly compressed,
black, dull; pleurogram very obscure, represented by a shallowly curved line c.
0.5 mm long which is situated near the top of the seed; funicle thickly filiform,
expanded into a clavate aril which extends down about 1/4 the length of the seed.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Northern end of the Mount
Beasley group of mountains, S of Mt. Beasley itself, between Meekatharra and
Mount Labouchere on the road to Mount Augustus, 2 May 1981, M. I. Blackwell 10
(PERTH); Hamersley Range, (Mt.) Brockman, 22°32'S, 117°14’E, M. Cole WA5068
(PERTH); Rhodes Ridge, 53.5 km NW of Newman on the road to Juna Downs, B. R.
Maslin 4610 (K, MEL, NY, PERTH, WAIT); Paraburdoo, B. R. Maslin 4660
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
95
Figure 9. Acacia marramamba. A— Node showing spiny stipules and phyllode base. B— Portion of branch
C — h lower. D and E — Seed (D — plane view; E — side view). F — Legume.
^ '^^'^dgen 2631; C from M. E. Trudgen 1338 (the type)- D-F from
A. A. Mitcnetl 269.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
(PERTH); 16 km S of Kumarina Hotel on Great Northern Highway, B. R. Maslin
4965 (PERTH); 50 km N of Mt Vernon Hst. and S of Mininer Stn., A. A. Mitchell
76/186 (PERTH); 50 km N of Tangadie Station, A. A. Mitchell 269 (CANB,
PERTH); 20 km E of Prairie Downs Hst., Upper Ashburton, A. A. Mitchell 341
(PERTH); Marandoo Ridge, Hamersley Range, ± 22°40'S, 118°09'E, M. E. Trudgen
1049 (PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, 4.6 mi (7.5 km) south on track to
Turee Creek from the Juna Downs to Coppin Pool track, M. E. Trudgen 2576 (NSW,
PERTH); Hamersley Range National Park, small unnamed hill on the north side of
Mount Trevarton, M. E. Trudgen 2631 (BM, BRI, PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 11) North-west Western Australia in the Fortescue and
northern Ashburton Botanical Districts (1:250 000 maps F50-11, 15, 16; G50-4, 8).
Most collections are from the Hamersley Range area from about Mount Brockman
(22°28’S, 117°18’E) east to Rhodes Ridge (23°05’S, 119°22’E), however, the species
does extend south into the Ashburton River basin. Although not forming locally
dense populations, the species is not uncommon throughout its area of distribution.
Habitat. In the Hamersley Range area the species grows on low hills the rocks of
which normally belong to the Marra Mamba Iron Formation (Macleod, 1966). Soils
are skeletal and comprise highly ferruginous red-brown loam. The associated
vegetation is Acacia shrubland e.g. A. aneura, A. pruinocarpa, A. maitlandii, A.
stowardii, with a Triodia wiseana ground cover.
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers from May to July. Legumes with immature
seeds have been collected in late August. It is probable that these seeds would have
reached maturity by about late September.
Acacia marramamba belongs to Sect. Phyllodineae DC. and is mostly closely allied
to the Western Australia — Northern Territory arid zone species A. inaequilatera
Domin. Both these taxa are small trees with spiny stipules, distinctly asymmetric,
pungent phyllodes and long terminal racemes with brightly coloured axes. Although
the two species sometimes occur sympatrically in the Hamersley Range, .4.
marramamba is readily distinguished by its smooth or fibrous (not corky) bark, its
non-pruinose branchlets, its normally smaller, less undulate, pale green to
subglaucous phyllodes with their very obscure lateral venation (phyllodes in A.
inaequilatera are 2.5-7 cm long, 1.5-3. 5 cm wide, often grey-green, and always with a
prominent reticulum), its red-brown raceme axes and peduncles (not purple), its
slightly curved legumes (not circinate) and its funicle which does not encircle the
seeds.
The specific epithet refers to the Marra Mamba Iron Formation on which the
species is frequently found.
10. Acacia pyrifolia DC., Prodr. 2: 452 (1925). Type: Nouvelle Hollande, cote
Orient, Mus. de Paris 1821 (holo: G-DC; iso: K, P).
Acacia clementii Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 812 (1926), non Maiden et Blakely (1928)
syn. nov. Lectotype (here selected): N.W. Australia. Between the Ashburton and De
Grey rivers. E. Clement s.n. (PR527758 — right hand specimen on the sheet; iso: K,
PR — left hand specimen on sheet no. 527758). Lectoparatypes: (1) Western
Australia: Between the Ashburton and Yule Rivers. E. Clement (K — vegetative
specimens on the sheet are A. pyrifolia, seeds are those of A. inaequilatera); (2) Bay
of Rest, Dampier’s Archipelago, Feb. 1818, A. Cunningham s.n. (K).
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
97
The name A. clementii Domin was based on three collections. The species was
distinguished from A. pyrifolia by its coriaceous phyllodes and by its funicles which
completely encircle the seeds. I have examined the holotype of A. pyrifolia and also
all syntypes of A. clementii and can detect no substantial differences between them.
Although A. pyrifolia in the broad sense (here I would include A. morrisonii Domin)
does exhibit some phyllode textural variability (i.e. some can be more coriaceous
than others) this is not a significant or diagnostic taxonomic character. The seeds
which Domin described under A. clementii are at Kew and are included in a packet
with the Clement (sterile) specimens collected from between the Ashburton and Yule
rivers. The vegetative material on this sheet readily falls within the natural range of
variation for A. pyrifolia. In the seed packet, besides the seeds themselves, are loose
phyllodes some of which are referable to A. inaequilatera Domin. The seed
differences between A. pyrifolia and A. inaequilatera are based primarily on the
length of the funicle which completely encircles the seed in a double fold in A.
inaequilatera but is much shorter in A. pyrifolia. There are some seeds in the above-
mentioned packet which have funicles completely encircling them, although on most
the funicle has been broken-off. Apparently what has happened is that under the
name A. clementii Domin described foliage and flowers of A. pyrifolia and seeds of
his own new species, A. inaequilatera.
11. Acacia stowardii group
Seven species are currently ascribed to this taxonomically complex species-group
viz. A. adsurgens Maiden et Blakely, A. atkinsiana Maslin, A. duriuscula W. V.
Fitzg., A. kempeana F. Muell. (syn. A. sihirica S. Moore), A. nelsonii Maslin, A.
rhodophloia Maslin and A. stowardii Maiden (syn. A. clivicola Pedley). More than
half of these species are wide-ranging arid zone taxa (Maslin and Pedley, in press),
and all but A. duriuscula and A. nelsonii are recorded for the Hamersley Range area.
The members of this group are characterized by their non-anastomosing, finely
multistriate phyllodes with nerves very close together, their obloid or cylindrical
(rarely globular) flower-heads, their gamosepalous, shortly dissected calyxes and
their flat, linear to oblong, chartaceous to ± cartilaginous legumes. Difficulties
encountered in distinguishing certain members of the A. stowardii group have been
noted under A. atkinsiana above and also in Maslin (1980) and Pedley (1981). The
species are distinguished principally by their phyllode and legume dimensions, their
seed orientation and their bark and flower-head characteristics. However, it is
evident from both field and herbarium studies that considerable variation exists in
certain of these morphological features. Additionally, many of the species
superficially resemble one another, especially when viewed on herbarium sheets. For
these reasons the following notes are provided as a guide to the variation and as an
aid to identification for species from the Hamersley Range area. Undoubtedly more
intensive field and laboratory studies are required in order to fully resolve the
taxonomic complexities within this group.
11a. A. adsurgens Maiden et Blakely
The salient features of the Hamersley Range specimens referred to this species
are: Phyllodes narrowly linear, 11-20 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, pale subglaucous, finely
multistriate with the central nerve slightly more evident than the other nerves.
Spikes pale yellow, flowers densely arranged. Calyx gamosepalous, more than half
the length of the corolla. Legumes unknown.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
The characters given above accord with those of A. adsurgens (see Maslin, 1981),
however, legumes from the Hamersley Range populations are required to confirm the
identification.
This species is superficially very similar to the long, linear phyllode forms of A.
stowardii (see below) but can be distinguished by its generally longer and slightly
broader phyllodes with a slightly pronounced central nerve, its denser, paler yellow
spikes and its slightly longer calyx.
llb. A. atkinsiana Maslin
See species no. 2 above.
llc. A. kempeana F. Muell. (syn. A. sibirica)
This widespread arid zone species is not common in the Hamersley Range area
having been recorded only from Marandoo which is situated near the base of Mount
Bruce. Acacia kempeana is most closely allied to A. stowardii from which it is
distinguished mainly by its broader phyllodes and legumes and its transverse to
obliquely transverse seeds (see key to species above). Pedley (1978) reports that
where the ranges of the two species adjoin in north-western Queensland
intermediates sometimes occur. Judging from some specimens seen, it seems
probable that intermediates between A. kempeana and A. stowardii also occur within
the Hamersley Range area. More intensive field studies (in particular to gather
fruiting rnaterial) are required in order to gain a clearer understanding of the
relationship between these two species in the Hamersleys.
lid. A. rhodophloia Maslin
As noted previously (Maslin, 1980) A. rhodophloia is a variable species. The
Hamersley Range populations of this species possess phyllodes that are narrowly
elliptic (often linear elsewhere) and which range from 4.5-6.5 cm long and 5-8 mm
wide with a length to width ratio of 6-13. Sometimes A. stowardii (see below) has
phyllodes similar to this but A. rhodophloia is readily distinguished by its “Minni
Ritchi’ bark (i.e. red and exfoliating in narrow shavings which curl retrorsely from
each end) and also by its flower-heads which are broader and with flowers more
densely arranged. Additionally, the calyx on A. rhodophloia slightly exceeds half the
length of the corolla whereas on A. stowardii it is as long as, or shorter than, half the
corolla. Flowering specimens of A. rhodophloia from the Murchison River area may
superficially resemble A. atkinsiana (see species no. 2 above).
1 le. A. stowardii Maiden (syn. A. clivicola Pedley)
This species is recognized by its grey bark, its finely multistriate phyllodes, its
light golden spikes with flowers not densely arranged, its gamosepalous calyx which
does not exceed c. 1/2 the length of the corolla, its chartaceous legumes which are
from 4-9(10) mm wide and its longitudinal to longitudinally oblique seeds. As noted
by Pedley (1978) under A. clivicola (= A. stowardii), the normal range in phyllode
size for this species is from (2)3-6(7) cm long and (0.7)l-3(4) mm wide. Acacia
stowardii in the Hamersley Range area is very variable with respect to its phyllodes
which are often longer and/or broader than normal. In some populations the
phyllodes are of a constant size but in others considerable variation has been
observed. For example, on the collection B. R. Maslin 4605 and 4605A (which is
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
referable to variant 2 below) from 38 km NW of Newman, the phyllodes varied from
5-7(9) cm long, 2-4(6-7) mm wide and had a length to width ratio of 10-18(22-35). On
the basis of phyllode dimensions, two variants of A. stowardii from the Hamersley
Range area are described below. It is noted, however, that the distinction between
these two variants may well be artificial and that future sampling will show a
continuum from one to the other.
1. Phyllodes narrowly linear, (6)8-12.5 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, length to width ratio
30-120, uniformly finely multistriate. Of restricted distribution being recorded only
from Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Marandoo areas. This variant superficially
resembles A. adsurgens (see 11a. above for distinguishing characters).
2 Phyllodes broadly linear to very narrowly elliptic, 4.5-9(10-12.5) cm long, 2-8 mm
wide, length to width ratio 9-20(25-35). Widespread in the Hamersley Range area
and has also been collected from the Rudall River area about 400 km to the east.
Broad phyllode individuals may resemble either A. kempeana or A. rbodophloia (see
11c. and ild. above). The bark on this variant is grey and is normally fissured near
the base of the main trunks. On a few plants, however, the bark on the main trunks,
although externally grey, exfoliates in a manner not dissimilar to the “Minni Ritchi”
bark of A. rbodophloia and reveals a smooth, red underlayer.
12. Acacia trachycarpa E. Pritzel, Bot. Jb. 35:308 (1904). Lectotype (here selected):
Harding River, Roebourne, 18 Apr. 1901, L. Diels 2755 (PERTH ex Museo
Botanico Berolinensis). Lectoparatype: Near Roebourne, April 1901, E. Pritzel 279
(B, DBN, E, K, L, M, P, PR). This collection is A. arida Benth.
A gonocarpa var. lasiocalyx F. Muell., Plants of North-Western Australia. Part 1. 8
(1881). Type citation: “Yule and Fortescue Rivers. Jones’ Creek and Georges River,
J. Forrest" (n.v.).
Acacia trachycarpa is a “Minni Ritchi” species common throughout the Pilbara
Region (i.e. Fortescue Botanical District) particularly along creeks and rivers. The
original description was based on two syntypes viz. Diels 2755 and Pritzel 279. The
former collection which is in flower has been selected as the lectotype because it
accords well with the protologue and because it is representative of the taxon
currently understood as A. trachycarpa. No specimen of Diels 21 bb has been located
at Berlin (B). The only duplicate of this collection known to me is at PERTH, it
therefore has been selected as the type. Pritzel 279 is also a flowering collection but
it differs from the original description with respect to its phyllodes which are
minutely punctulate (not mentioned in the protologue) and nerveless (prominently
1-3-nerved in protologue). Pritzel 279 in fact is A. arida Benth. No fruiting syntype
of A. trachycarpa has been located even though legumes were described in the
protologue. The carpological description is comprehensive and almost certainly
refers to A. trachycarpa sensu lectotypico but definitely not to A. arida. In view of
these facts it is surprising to find in some herbaria e.g. DBN, M and PR, specimens
of Pritzel 279 originally named A. arida but redetermined by Pritzel himself as A.
trachycarpa.
Acacia gonocarpa var. lasiocarpa is queried as a synonym of A. trachycarpa mainly
because I have not seen the type. The original description, although brief, enables
me to be reasonably sure that it was A. trachycarpa that was being described.
According to Maiden (1917:100) the type is no longer at the National Herbarium,
Melbourne (MEL).
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
13. Acacia xiphophylla E.Pritzel, Bot. Jb. 35: 305 (1904). Lectotype (here
selected); Tree, 4 m in height, 25 km south of Roebourne, 24 April 1901, L. Diels
2808 (PERTH — a single phyllode only, ex Museo Botanico Berolinensis).
Acacia clementii Maiden et Blakely (as ‘dementi’), J. Roy. Soc. W. Aust. 13: 26 t.l9
ff. 1-4 (1928), nom. illeg., non Domin (1926), syn. nov. Type: Between the Ashburton
and Yule Rivers W.A., 1898, E. Clement (holo: NSW; iso: PERTH — fragment ex
NSW).
Figure 10. Distribution of Acacia arrecta, A. atkinsiana and A. cuspidifolia
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
101
Through the courtesy of the Director, Royal Botanic Garden and National
Herbarium, Sydney (NSW) I have inspected Maiden and Blakely’s type of A.
clementii and compared it with the lectotype of A. xiphophylla at PERTH.
Unfortunately Diels’ original gathering of A. xiphophylla is not at the Botanisches
Museum, Berlin (B) it probably having been destroyed when that institution was
burnt in 1943. The PERTH lectotype comprises only a single phyllode but this
accords very well with other collections attributed to A. xiphophylla. This species is
very common around Roebourne (the type locality) and there is no other Acacia
species known to occur in that area with which it is likely to be confused. The
holotype of A. clementii Maiden et Blakely comprises the upper portion of a
flowering branch and this accords well with other material at PERTH under A.
xiphophylla. The two taxa are therefore considered conspecific.
Acknowledgements
Many workers have greatly facilitated this project by providing both collections
and habit/habitat data for many of the included taxa. In particular I would like to
thank Libby Mattiske, Penny Wtirm and Ken Atkins for material and data from the
Tom Price-Paraburdoo area, Chris Dawe (Marandoo area), Ken Walker (Newman
area), Ian and Eva Solomon (Wittenoom area) and Malcolm Trudgen (Pilbara area
in general). John Fox (W.A. Institute of Technology) is thanked for providing an
airfare in 1980. This facilitated botanical collecting in the Hamersley Range National
Park during a biological survey sponsored by Ian Pound of Integrated
102
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Environmental Services. Garry Marney is thanked for field assistance and Suzanne
Curry for very competent technical help. The project was conducted at the Western
Australian Herbarium (PERTH) with financial assistance provided under an
Australian Biological Resources Study grant from the Bureau of Flora and Fauna.
Index to specimens studied for new species described herein
This index is arranged alphabetically according to the name of the collector.
Numbers in parentheses refer to the corresponding numbered species in the text.
Unless otherwise indicated, the specimens cited are housed at the Western
Australian Herbarium (PERTH). Abbreviations for herbaria are those given in Index
Herbariorum, Part 1, Edition 6 (1974). In the case of Kings Park and Botanic
Garden, Murdoch University and the Western Australian Institute of Technology
(all in Perth), there are no formal abbreviations so KP, MURD and WAIT
respectively are used informally here.
Ashby, A. M. 4491 (4— CANB, K, MEL, PERTH).
Atkins, K. 445 (8), 1209 (2— CANB, PERTH), 1213 (2— K, PERTH), 1221 (7— CANB, K), 1225 (8— K,
PERTH), 1240 (8— MEL, PERTH), 1257 (4— Type: CANB, K, NY, PERTH), 1264 (4).
Beard, J. S. 3510 (4— KP, PERTH), 4366 (4), 4569 (2— KP), 4603 (1— KP), 6148 (2).
Black, R. F. s.n. 10 Oct. 1975 (1), s.n. 30 -Jan, 1975 (1— NSW, PERTH), s.n. 6 Dec. 1974 (1).
Blackwell. M. I. 10 (9).
Blackley, J. V. 291 (7), 378 (8— KP).
Breaker, M. I. H. 2089a (1— CANB, K, MEL, PERTH).
Cale, M. 5006 (8), 5030 (2), 5067 (2) 5068 (9), 5097 (7).
Dawe, C. G. 008 (6), 210 (5) M112 (8— PERTH, TLF, WAIT), M154 (2— CBG, PERTH), 212 (6— BRI,
CANB, K, PERTH), 218 (8— CANB, PERTH).
Dell, B. s.n. 7 June 1979 (2 — MURD).
Demarz, H. 611 (4— KP, PERTH), 2778 (4— KP, PERTH), 4416 (1— KP, PERTH), D5755 (2— KP,
PERTH), D7084 (2— TLF, PERTH), 7652 (4)
Gardner. C. A. 6152 (4), 6208 (4).
George, A. S. 1068 (1).
Hastings, B. S4356 (2 — KP).
Lethbridge, I. L. s.n. July/Aug. 1971 (1 — BRI, PERTH).
Maloney, B. 73/53 (2).
Maslin, B. R. 2733 (2— AD, MEL, NSW, PERTH), 2761 (2— B, BM, G, NSW, P, PERTH), 2771 (4) 4586
(8— PERTH, WAIT), 4609 (8), 4610 (9— K, MEL, NY, PERTH, WAIT), 4621 (8), 4627 (6), 4628 (5),
4630 (8), 4644 (1— Type: CANB, K, MEL, PERTH), 4646 (8), 4648 (2), 4653 (4), 4660 (9), 4666
(7— BRI, CANB, K, MEL, NY, PERTH, WAIT), 4672 (7), 4677 (8), 4681 (6— Type: CANB, K, MEL,
PERTH), 4682 (5— Type: CANB, K, NY, PERTH), 4683 (8— BRI, NSW, NY, PERTH), 4685
(2— PERTH, WAIT), 4746 (2), 4965 (9), 4996 (4), 5003 (4), 5012 (4),
Mitchell. A. A. 76/186 (9), 269 (9— CANB, PERTH), 341 (9) 348 (1— PERTH, WAIT), 367 (2).
O’Farrell, R. 48 (4).
Pullen, R. 10940 (6— AD, CANB, PERTH).
Stewart. K. s.n. Sept. 1957 (1).
Truagen, M. E. 319 (6— BRI, PERTH), 323 (6), 327 (8), 391 (8— Type: CANB, K, PERTH), 1042 (8) 1045
(8), 1049 (9), 1151 (8— MEL, PERTH), 1299 (2— PERTH, WAIT), 1338 (9— Type: CANB, K,
PERTH), 2263 (8— CANB, PERTH), 2407 (7— BM, NT, G, P, PERTH), 2413 (7— Type: CANB, K,
MEL, NY, PERTH), 2493 (2— Type: CANB, K, NY, PERTH), 2503 (2— BRI, PERTH), 2548 (7— AD,
BRI, NSW, PERTH), 2576 (9— NSW, PERTH), 2631 (9— BM, BRI, PERTH).
Walker, K. 95 (8— CBG, MEL, NSW, PERTH), 96 (8), 97 (8), 113 (8).
Weston, A. S. 10842 (2), 10844A (2).
Willis, J. H. PERTH— Dup. of MEL 503363 (2), MEL 503364 (6— MEL, PERTH), s.n. 17 Aug. 1974 (8)
B. R. Maslin, Acacia in the Hamersley Range
103
References
Beard, J. S. (1975). ‘The vegetation of the Pilbara area.’ Explanatory Notes to Sheet 5 of the Vegetation
survey of Western Australia. (University of W.A. Press: Nedlands.)
Beard, J. S. (1980). A new phytogeographic map of Western Australia. W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes No. 3:
37-58, plus map.
Bentham, G. (1864) ‘Flora Australiensis.’ Vol. 2 (Reeve: London.)
Bowler, J. M. (In press.) Aridity in the late Tertiary and Quaternary of Australia. In W. R. Barker and
P. J. M. Greenslade (eds.) ‘Evolution of the Flora and Fauna of Arid Australia.’
de la Hunty, L. E. (1965). ‘Explanatory Notes on the Mount Bruce Geological Sheet.’ Geological Survey of
Western Australia. 1:250 000 Geological Series. (Govt. Printer: Tasmania.)
Hnatiuk, R. J. and Maslin, B. R. (1980). The distribution of Acacia (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae) in
Western Australia. Part 1. Individual species distribution. W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes. No. 4: 1-103.
Hopper, S. D. and Maslin, B. R. (1978) Phytogeography of Acacia in Western Australia. Austral. J. Bot. 26:
63-78.
Macleod, W'. V. (1966). The geology and iron deposits of the Hamersley Range area, Western Australia.
Geol. Survey of W.A. Bull. No. 117 (Govt. Printer: Perth.)
Maiden, J. H. (1917). Notes on Acacia No. 2 — Tropical Western Australia. J. and Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W.
51: 71-124, pi. i-iv.
Maslin, B. R. (1980). Acacia (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae): a contribution to the flora of Central Australia.
J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 2(4): 301-321.
Maslin, B. R. (1981). Acacia. In Jessop, J. P. (ed.) ‘The Flora of Central Australia.’ (A. H. and A. W. Reed:
Sydney.)
Maslin, B. R. and Hopper, S. D. (In press.) Phytogeography of Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in
Central Australia. In W. R. Barker and P. J. M. Greenslade (eds.). ‘Evolution of the Flora and Fauna
of Arid Australia.’
Maslin, B. R. and Pedley, L. (1982). The distribution of Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Australia.
Part 1. Species distribution maps. W. Austral. Herb. Res. Notes No. 6: 1-127.
Pedley, L. (1977). Notes on Leguminosae. 1. Austrobaileya 1(1): 25-42.
Pedley, L. (1978). A revision of Acacia Mill, in Queensland. Part 1 Austrobaileya 1(2): 75-234.
Pedley, L. (1981). Further notes on Acacia in Queensland. Austrobaileya 1(4): 339-345.
Randell, B. A. and Symon, D. E. (1977). Distribution of Cassia and SoJanum species in arid regions of
Australia. Search 8: 206-207.
Stebbins, G. L. and Major, J. 1965. Endemism and speciation in the California flora. Ecol. Monogr. 35: 1-
35.
16559 — ( 8 )
Nuytsia4(l): 105-112 (1982)
105
Studies in the genus Acacia (LeguminosaerMimosoideae) — 12.
Two new species from the eastern goldfields, Western Australia
B. R. Maslin
Western Australian Herbarium, George Street, South Perth, W.A. 6151
Abstract
Maslin, B. R. Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 12. Two new species from the
eastern goldfields. Western Australia. Nuytsia 4(1); 105-112 (1982). Two new species of Acacia, A.
kerryana (section JuH florae) and A. warramaba (section Plurinerves), are described and illustrated. Both
taxa occur in the eastern goldfield area of Western Australia.
1. Acacia kerryana Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Acacia filifolia Benth. et A. merinthophora E. Pritzel affinis a qua statura minore,
phyllodiis decurrentibus in sicco teretibus et calyce minore differt.
Typus: 1 km S of Spargoville (c. 45 km S of Coolgardie) on the road to Norseman,
Western Australia. “Shrub 0.6 m tall, dividing just above ground level into c. 4
slender, spreading-erect main branches; bark smooth, grey; branches somewhat
flexuose on upper half; foliage soft and dense; phyllodes persistent upon dying,
curved to serpentinous, light olive green; flower -heads light golden. Much regrowth
here following a fire. Favours exposed areas and seems restricted to this low rocky
hill.” 16 February 1981, B. R. Maslin 4834 (holo; PERTH; iso: CANB, G, K, MEL,
NY).
Low, spreading, rather dense shrubs 0.5-0.6(l) m tall and to 2 m diam.,
infundibular and flat-topped when young but amorphous with age, dividing just
above ground level into about 4 slender spreading-erect stems. Bark smooth, grey
except for the branchlet apices which are light brown to reddish brown. Branches
somewhat flexuose especially towards their apices, terete, very obscurely nerved,
apically very sparsely antrorsely strigillose, otherwise glabrous, apices slightly shiny.
Stipules deciduous, triangular, c. 0.3 mm long. Phyllodes filiform-terete, 8-16 cm
long, c. 0.5 mm diam., tortuous, cirrose, decurrent, persistent on branches upon
dying, light olive green but upon dying turning first orange then grey, glabrous;
nerves 8, fine, impressed when fresh, becoming slightly raised upon drying due to
shrinkage of intervening tissue, distant (c. 0.2 mm apart); gland not prominent,
situated on upper surface of the phyllode some distance above the base, lamina
slightly swollen about the gland, circular, c. 0.2 mm diam., lip yellow to brown and
slightly raised. Inflorescences simple and axillary, 2-3 per node. Peduncles 6-13 mm
long, glabrous or very sparsely strigillose; basal peduncular bract ± ovate and
shallowly concave, c. 1 mm long, glabrous. Flower-heads obloid, 6-7 mm long and c.
4 mm wide when dry, 12-15 flowered, flowers not very densely arranged, light golden;
bracteoles c. 0.5 mm long, with minute claws and inflexed concave glabrescent brown
laminae. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx cupular, 1/5- 1/6 the length of the corolla, very
shallowly divided into broadly triangular lobes. Corolla 1.5-2 mm long, readily
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
separating into elliptic petals which are very obscurely penninerved (apparently
nerveless when dry). Ovary densely appressed white tomentose. Legumes seen only
following dehiscence, valves twisted and coiled, to 8.5 cm long (expanded length),
2 mm wide, chartaceous, light brown, glabrous, obscurely longitudinally nerved;
margins constricted between seeds, yellow. Seeds not seen.
Figure 1. Acacia kerryana. A — Portion of branch showing tortuous phyllodes and obloid flower-heads.
B — Node showing decurrent phyllodes (p). C — Phyllode, side view and transverse section showing position
of nerves. D — Flower (viewed from below) showing cupular calyx and 4 petals.
A from fresh material collected by B. R. Maslin from the type locality; B and C from K. Newbey 8099; D
from B. R. Maslin 4834 (the type).
1 mm
B. R. Maslin, Goldfield Acacias
107
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 9 km NE of Norseman, K.
Newbey 7531 (PERTH); near Jimberlana Hill, 8 km NE of Norseman, K. Newbey
8099 (NSW, PERTH); 2 km NW of Lake Cronin, c. 45 km E of Hyden, K. Newbey
9177 (PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 3) Of scattered occurrence in the eastern goldfield and
southern wheathelt areas of south-west Western Australia in the Coolgardie and Roe
Botanical Districts (1:250 000 maps H51-13, 151-2; 150-4). Acacia kerryana is
possibly more common than is indicated by current collections, but as the species is
of low stature and flowers during the summer when generally little collecting is done,
it may well have been overlooked in the past.
Habitat. Acacia kerryana seems always to be associated with low rocky hills. The
Jimberlana Hill population occurs on a moderately exposed low stony ridge in
shallow, well drained, granitic, loamy sand. The Spargoville population is restricted
to a rocky hill and grows in shallow, red-brown loam in association with various
species of Acacia (e.g. A. erinacea, A. pachypoda, A. rendlei, A. warramaba),
Casuarina campestris, Triodia scariosa and mallee eucalypts. Acacia kerryana does
not inhabit the taller scrub, dominated by Acacia acuminata and Casuarina
campestris, occurring on deeper soil in a saddle adjacent to this hill. Near Lake
Cronin the species grows in stony, red clayey loam on a moderately exposed slight
slope.
Flowering and fruiting period. Based on herbarium label information the species is
known to flower in late October and mid-February, suggesting a continuous season
from late spring to summer. The fruiting period is uncertain.
On account of its obloid flower-heads and its plurinerved phyllodes A. kerryana is
placed in section Juliflorae (Benth.) Maiden et Betche and seems most closely
related to two reasonably common wheatbelt species, A. fiiifolia Benth. and A.
merinthophora E. Pritzel. Besides being distributed further east (Maslin and Pedley,
in press), A. kerryana is distinguished from both these species by its smaller stature,
its decurrent phyllodes which are terete (not ± quadrangular) when dry and its
smaller calyx.
Acacia kerryana is the second species with decurrent phyllodes recorded for
section Juliflorae, the other being A. aciphylla Benth. (see Maslin, 1977). These two
species are not particularly closely related to one another and neither is at all close to
section Alatae (Benth.) Pedley, a heterogeneous group of species characterised by
decurrent phyllodes and globular flower-heads.
Unlike the condition found in pulvinate species, the dead phyllodes of A. kerryana
are persistent. Living phyllodes at branch apices are light olive green but upon dying
they turn first orange then grey. The result of this progressive colour change was
observed at the type locality in February 1981 when the plants were in full flower. In
August 1981, however, plants from the same population lacked the intermediate,
orange-coloured phyllodes. This suggests that phyllode death occurs seasonally at
about the time of flowering.
I first encountered this new species in February 1981 while investigating
populations of A. warramaba (see below) south of Spargoville. Unbeknown to me at
the time, Mr Ken Newbey had already collected A. kerryana 5 months previously
from near Norseman.
The species is named in honour of my good friend Ms Kerry Ward, librarian at tbe
Western Australian Herbarium from 1975 until 1977 and presently deputy librarian
at the W.A. Department of Agriculture.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
2. Acacia warramaba Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 2)
Acacia redolens Maslin affinis a qua ramulis nec resinoso-costatis, phyllodiis
plerumque angustioribus longioribusque et nervis plus numerosis confertisque, nec
anastomosantibus, differt.
Typus: Eyre Highway, 15.5 km E of Fraser Range, Western Australia. “Shrub 3 m
tall with phyllodes concentrated towards ends of branches, 3-6-branched near
ground level; bark smooth, grey; phyllodes spreading-erect, medium olive green,
characteristically hooked at their apices. Red clay in Casuarina, Cassia, Dodonaea
scrub with spinifex. Near top of rise just below a band of tall mallee eucalypts.” 17
February 1981, B. R. Maslin 4843 (holo: PERTH; iso; CANS, K).
Shrubs to 3.5 m tall with 3-6 spreading-erect main branches (to 5 cm diam.) arising
from near ground level, bushy and rounded (to 3 m diam.) when young but at
maturity becoming infundibular and more open with the phyllodes concentrated
towards the ends of the branches. Bark smooth except at base of mature main stems
where it may become finely longitudinally fissured, grey except for the yellow or
brown branch apices which are rarely glaucescent. Branches terete but somewhat
angular towards their apices, finely ribbed (ribs most prominent immediately below
insertion of the phyllodes), marked with distant scars of fallen phyllodes. New shoots
arising from distal end of raceme axis, resinous. Stipules deciduous. Phyllodes
variable, linear to very narrowly elliptic or very narrowly oblanceolate, (3)4-8(10) cm
long, 3-6(10) mm wide, length to width ratio (6)8-20(40), flat, spreading-erect to
distinctly ascending, not particularly rigid, straight to slightly curved, light to
medium olive green, rarely glaucescent, glabrous or sometimes glabrescent; nerves
numerous, parallel and not anastomosing, close together (interstices 0.1-0.2 mm
apart), impressed but the central one very slightly more evident that the rest; apices
characteristically hooked, acute, not pungent, brown; pulvinus terete, 1-2 mm long,
finely transversely wrinkled, yellow; gland very obscure, situated on upper margin of
phyllode at the distal end of the pulvinus. Inflorescences comprising short axillarv
racemes ol 2(3-4) flower-heads, 1(2) per node, scattered along branches and not
showy; raceme axes 2-5 mm long, terminated by a vegetative bud which grows out
following anthesis, hoary or sometimes (especially when in fruit) glabrous. Peduncles
4-8 mm long, indumentum as on raceme axes; basal peduncular bract sub-persistent,
triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, light brown. Flower-heads globular, light golden, c. 45-
flowered, flowers densely arranged, small (c. 3.5 mm diam. just prior to anthesis),
slightly resinous; bracteoles linear-spathulate, c. 1 mm long, glabrescent, the laminae
observable (at xlO mag.) between flow'ers in inflorescence buds, ovate, inflexed,
concave and brown. Flowers 5-merous. Sepals linear-spathulate, 2/3-3/4 length of
petals, claws very narrow and translucent, laminae slightly concave brown and
sparsely ciliolate. Petals 1.5 mm long, glabrous, nerveless. Legumes narrowly oblong,
to 7 cm long, (5)6-8 mm w'ide, pendulous, chartaceous, straight or slightly curved,
frequently slightly undulate, rarely semicircinate or tardily sigmoid, raised over
seeds, slightly shiny, red-browm when mature, grey-brown prior to maturity,
glabrescent. very obscurely transversely nerved, abruptly narrowed at apex, basal
stipe 3-4 mm long; margins usually not or only slightly contricted between seeds
however random deep constrictions may occur, marginal nerve narrow and yellowish
brown. Seeds normally transverse to oblique within the legume, sometimes a few
seeds are longitudinal, obloid-ellipsoid but truncate along margin adjacent to the
aril, size variable, 3-4.5 mm long and 2-3 mm wide, somewhat compressed (1-1.5 mm
thick), colour variable, light brown or grey- brown to blackish, slightly shiny;
B. R. Maslin, Goldfield Acacias
109
Figure 2. Acacia warramaba, A — Portion of branch. B to I — Phyllodes showing variability (D — an
atypically small phyllode; I — an atypically broad phyllode; E to G — samples from separate plants in a
single population). -J — Inflorescence showing short raceme axis (r) with a dormant vegetative shoot(s) at its
apex; note persistent bract (b) at base of one peduncle. K, L — Legumes showing variability.
A from B. R. Maslin 4843 (the type); B from A. S. George 8599; C from B. R. Maslin 2465; D from A. S.
George s.n., 6 Feb. 1963; E from B. R. Maslin 4836B; F" from B. R. Maslin 4836; G from B. R. Maslin 4836A;
H and .] from M. J. D. While s.n.. 24 Feb. 1979; I from K. JVewbey 6299; K from A. R. Orchard 4178; L from
M. J. D. White s.n., 7 Feb. 1979.
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Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
pleurogram very obscure, “u”-shaped, open towards the hilum; areole 0.4-0.6 mm
long, 0. 2-0.5 mm wide; funicle filiform, 1.5-2 mm long, reflexed below and expanded
into a yellowish clavate aril which extends down about 1/3-1/2 the length of the seed.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Mt Day in the Bremer
Range, J. S. Beard 3843 (PERTH); 56 mi (89.6 km) W of Eyre Highway, on Hyden-
Norseman road, A. S. George 4343 (PERTH); 10 mi (16 km) E of Fraser Range on
Eyre Highway, A. S. George 8599 (PERTH); ± 55 mi (88 km) W of Eyre Highway, on
Hyden-Norseman road, 6 Feb. 1963, A. S. George s.n. (PERTH); 35 km N of
Norseman towards Coolgardie, B. R. Maslin 2440 (CANB, K, PERTH); 9 km N of
Daniell Siding towards Norseman, B. R. Maslin 2465 (PERTH); 1.5 km S of
Spargoville (c. 45 km S of Coolgardie) on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, B. R.
Maslin 4823 (AD, BRI, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 1 km S of Spargoville (c. 45 km S of
Coolgardie) Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, B. R. Maslin 4836, 4836A and 4836B (all
CANB, K, PERTH); 12.5 km E of Fraser Range on Eyre Highway, B. R. Maslin 4844
and 4844A (both PERTH); 34.5 km N of Norseman on Coolgardie-Esperance
Highwajy B. R. Maslin 4845 (PERTH); 30.5 km W of Norseman, K. Newbey 6299
(MEL, PERTH); Fraser Range, c. 115 km E of Norseman, 30°32'S, 122°58'E, A. E.
Orchard 4178 (PERTH-ex AK); 27 mi (43 km) S of Coolgardie, R. D. Royce 6441
(PERTH); 1 km SE of Spargoville, near Coolgardie, M. J. D. White s.n. 7 Feb. 1979
(PERTH) and 24 Feb. 1979 (CBG, NY, PERTH).
Distribution. (Figure 3) The eastern goldfields area of south-west Western Australia
in the Coolgardie Botanical District (1:250 000 maps H51-13, 14; 151-1, 2). Of
scattered occurrence in an area bounded by Mount Day in the Bremer Range,
Spargoville, Fraser Range and Lake Dundas.
Habitat. Found in undulating, low hilly country in red loam or clay which frequently
has rock inclusions. The rocks at both the Mount Day and Fraser Range populations
are recorded as being greenstones i.e. metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary
rocks. The species normally grows in mallee eucalypt woodland often with a ground
cover of spinifex {Triodia scariosa). Species of Acacia, Cassia, Casuarina and
Dodonaea are frequent associates of A. warramaba.
Flowering and fruiting period. Judging from herbarium label data, flowering occurs
in summer between November and February. Bushes during this period frequently
also bear legumes with mature seeds which are presumably from the previous years
flowering.
On account of its plurinerved phyllodes and its globular flower-heads A.
warramaba is placed in section Plurinerves (Benth.) Maiden et Betche. The new
species seems most closely allied to A. redolens Maslin from which it can be
distinguished by its branchlets which are not resin-ribbed, its phyllodes which are
generally longer and narrower and with more numerous, closely arranged, non-
anastomosing nerves and its legumes which are broader, flatter and less constricted
between the seeds. Unlike A. redolens, A. warramaba is not a particularly fragrant
shrub. The known geographical ranges of these two species do not overlap although
only about 50 km separated them in the area south of Norseman between Daniell
Siding and Salmon Gums.
Acacia warramaba bas very variable phyllodes (Figure 2B-I). Young regrowth
shrubs, especially following fire, tend to have longer and often narrower phyllodes
than do mature shrubs from undisturbed sites. Likewise, there is considerable
B. R. Maslin, Goldfield Acacias j j [
variability in the size of legumes (Figure 2K and L) and seeds, the latter also showing
variation in colour from light brown to almost black. Such extremes in seed colour
are not common in Acacia.
This new species was first brought to my attention in 1975 by Professor M. J. D.
White. It is one of the food plants for the parthenogenetic grasshopper Warramaba
Virgo (White, 1980; White and Contreras, 1981 and in press).
The specific epithet refers to the grasshopper genus Warramaba.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks are due to Professor Michael White for drawing my attention to A.
warramaba and for accompanying me on a most enjoyable field excursion in
February 1981 to inspect the species. During this trip A. kerryana was also located
by the author. Ms Suzanne Curry is thanked for her very competent technical and
field assistance and Mr Paul Wilson for preparing my Latin diagnoses. The project
was conducted at the Western .Australian Herbarium (PERTH) with financial
assistance provided under an Australian Biological Resources Study grant from the
Bureau of Flora and Fauna.
References
Maslin, B. R. (1977). Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) — 6. Miscellany. Nuytsia 2: 145-161.
Maslin, B. R. and Pedley, L. (In press.) The distribution of Acacia in Australia. Part 1. Species distribution
maps. VV. .Austral. Herb. Res. Notes No. 6.
White, .M. J. D. (1980). The genetic system of the Parthenogenetic Grasshopper Warramaba virgo. Roy.
Ent. Soc. London. Symposium No. 10: 1-13.
White, M. -J. D. and Contreras, N. (1981). Chromosome Architecture of the Parthenogenetic Grasshopper
Warramaba virgo and its Bisexual Ancestors. Chromosomes Today 7:165-175.
White, M. J. D. and Contreras, N. (In press.) Cytogenetics of the parthenogenetic grasshopper Warramaba
virgo and its bisexual relatives. Vlll. Evolution of karyotypes and c-banding patterns in the clones of
W. virgo. Cytogenetics and Cell Genetics.
Index to specimens studied
This index is arranged alphabetically according to the name of the collector.
Numbers in parentheses refer to the corresponding numbered species in the text.
Unless otherwise stated, the specimens are lodged at Western Australian Herbarium
(PERTH).
Beard, J. S. 3843 (2).
George, A. S. 4343 (2); 8599 (2); s.n., 6 Feb. 1963 (2).
Maslin, B. /f.2440 (2-CANB, K, PERTH); 2465 (2); 4823 (2-AD, BRI, MEL, NSW, PERTH); 4834 (l-Tvpe
CANB, G, K, MEL, NY, PERTH); 4836, 4836A and 4836B (2-all CANB, K, PERTH); 4843 (2-Tvoe’
CANB, K, PERTH); 4844 and 4844A (2); 4845 (2).
Newbey, K. 6299 (2-MEL, PERTH); 7531 (1); 8099 (1-NSW, PERTH); 9177 (1).
Orchard, A. E. 4178 (2).
Boyce, R. D. 6441 (2).
White, M. J. D. s.n. 7 Feb. 1979 (2) and 24 Feb. 1979 (2-CBG, NY, PERTH).
112
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 8. Distribution of Acacia kerryana and A. warramaba.
Nuytsia4(l): 113-128(1982)
113
New subspecies in Eucalyptus caesia and in E. crucis
(Myrtaceae) of Western Australia
M. I. H. BrookerA and S. D. HopperB
Abstract
Brooker. M. I. H. and Hopper, S. D. New xuhspecies in Eucalyptus caesia and in E. crucis (Myrtaceae) of
Western Australia. Nuytsia 4(1): 113-128 (1982). Eucalyptus caesia Benth. subsp. magna subsp. nov. and
E. crucis Maiden subsp. lanceolata subsp. nov. of the informal subseries Orbifolinae are described and
illustrated. Both taxa occur on granitic tors and ridges in an area north and east of Merredin in Western
Australia. E. caesia subsp. magna has larger flowers, fruits and leaves than E. caesia subsp. caesia. and is
widely known in the horticultural industry as the cultivar 'Silver Princess’. E. crucis subsp. lanceolata
differs from the typical subspecies in having lanceolate or narrow-lanceolate adult leaves with distinct
petioles 5-15 mm long, and in having erect stems up to 15 m tall. Each of the species in the subseries
Orbifolinae has diagnostic seedling characters, and these are incorporated in a key to the four species and
six subspecies of the Orbifolinae now recognised.
Introduction
Pryor and Johnson (1971) erected the informal subseries Orbifolinae which
included four mallee eucalypts with the easily recognised red-brown over green bark,
which partly decorticates longitudinally (or less often horizontally) remaining
incompletely detached with the free margins becoming curled (Figure 1). This bark
form does not occur elsewhere in the genus. It superficially resembles the rich red-
brown crisped bark of some species of Acacia, for which the term ‘Minni Ritchi’ bark
is now widely used. Because of this resemblance, we propose that the bark form
characteristic of the subseries Orbifolinae in Eucalyptus should also be referred to as
Minni Ritcbi bark.
The Orbifolinae, with the subseries Leptopodinae and Macrocarpinae, compose
the series Macrocarpae which consists of about 20 species and is based on the
association of several characters, viz. 2 opercula, bisected cotyledons, and thick-
walled, very woody fruit with a prominent, emergent, convex disc (apart from E.
caesia Benth. in which the disc is descending).
For many years E. caesia has been known to exist in two fairly discrete variants
(Gardner, 1954; Chippendale, 1973) — a typical form from, for’ example, Mount
Caroline and Boyagin Rock, and a larger, coarser form from localities further to the
north-east (Figure 2). This latter form has hitherto received no formal taxonomic
status but it is a notable ornamental tree or mallee and has been known to
horticulturalists as ‘Silver Princess’ (Molyneaux, 1978). Both forms as far as is
known are restricted to certain granite rock sites.
Another species of the Orbifolinae also restricted to granite rocks is E. crucis
Maiden. Maiden (1924) stated in the protologue for this species ‘mature leaves rather
thick, very shortly petiolate, from lanceolate to nearly ovoid and ovoid-
lanceolate . . .’. The type specimen which was illustrated (Plate 242, no. 7) had
shortly petiolate, ovate leaves (Figure 6) but specimens from some populations
examined by us have been predominantly in the juvenile stage, i.e. the leaves of the
mature plant were sessile, opposite, orbicular and strongly glaucous (Figure 5).
A Division of Forest Research, CSIRO, P.O. Box 4008, Canberra. A.C.T. 2600
B Western Australian Wildlife Research Centre, P.O. Box 51, Wanneroo, W.A. 6065
114
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Trunks of raallees of E. caesia subsp. caesia (upper left) and E. orbifolia (upper right, lower left)
showing the variants of the ‘Minni Ritchi’ bark form characteristic of the species of subseries Orbifolinae.
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus 1 15
Recent surveys in areas north and west of the known occurrences of E. cnicis (e.g.
at Ghiddarcooping Hill) have resulted in the discovery or rediscovery of populations
obviously related to, yet clearly distinct from typical E. cmcis (Figures 5, 7). They
are large erect-stemmed malices (to 15 m tall as compared with 6 m for the more
effuse E. cmcis) and the canopy consists only of true lanceolate adult leaves that are
distinctly petiolate.
We therefore consider that Maiden’s circumscription in the protologue of E. cmcis
covers two forms recognizable by the nature of the leaves in the mature canopy, viz.
the typical form (Figures 5, 6) which has ovate, juvenile and intermediate leaves, and
a second form which bears lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate adult leaves. Both forms
have associated habit features.
Figure 2. Geographical distributions of Eucalyptus caesia subsp. magna (open circles) and E caesia subsp.
caesia (closed circles) in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. Also illustrated are line drawings oi t,.
caesia subsp. caesta (M.I.H. Brooker 6738) and E. caesia subsp. magna (holotype).
From an examination of specimens annotated by Gardner at PERTH it is certain
also that the reference to ‘forms of E. leptopoda' (Gardner, 1954) are in fact this
form of E. cmcis with true adult leaves.
We believe that both the ‘large-fruited E. caesia' and the large narrow-leaved
mallees of E. cmcis are worthy of formal taxonomic status. This view is supported
both by the morphological considerations outlined below and by multivariate
morphometric analyses of geographical variation that will be published elsewhere
(Hopper, Campbell and Caputi, in press).
116
Nuytsia Vol, 4, No. 1 (1982)
■ -• pr *' *•»' •' ' •
j^*s«uf£h |n»ti«uii»
fafesl>y i T<mbe.ir Buhkkj -4^
C«r^rrQ, A«s»roi«).
»>fe>y N-? 5 .# S Ai^-W
%
Figure 3. The holotype of E. caesia subsp. caesia, collected by James Drummond in 1847 in the Mt
Caroline-Mt Stirling district.
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus
117
Taxonomy
Eucalyptus caesia Benth. subsp. caesia, FI. Aust. 3, 227 (1867); Maiden, Crit. Rev.
Gen. Euc. 3, 31 (1917); Blakely, Key Eucs, 103 (1934); Gardner, W. Aust. Dept. Agric.
Bull. No. 2123 (1954); Pryor & Johnson, Class. Eucs. 46 (1971); Chippendale, Eucs.
W.A. Goldfields, 119 (1973) — Figures 2, 3 and 8b.
Typus: Drummond 5th coll., suppl. no. 36 (K) — Figure 3.
A small mallee to 10 m tall with imperfectly decorticated, crisped ‘Minni Ritchi’
bark. Young branchlets smooth, reddish and covered by glaucous bloom. Seedling
leaves opposite for 5-6 pairs, petiolate, orbicular to broader than long or cordate.
Juvenile leaves alternate, petiolate, cordate, to 8 x 6 cm, thick, bright shining green.
Adult leaves alternate, on glaucous petioles 1-4 cm long, lanceolate or falcate, to 16 x
4 cm, dull grey-green or yellowish green. Inflorescences axillary, 3-flowered;
peduncles and pedicels 10-35 mm long; buds clavate, glaucous, to 30 x 15 mm,
hypanthium obconical, operculum conical or slightly beaked, outer operculum lost
early in bud development. Stamens faded pink, to 20 mm long. Fruit on long stout
pedicels, urceolate, glaucous, shallowly ribbed, to 31 x 28 mm; disc broad,
descending; valves 5 or 6, below rim level.
Eucalyptus caesia Benth. subsp. magna Brooker et Hopper, subsp. nov. (Figures 2,
4 and 8a).
A subspecie typica habitu, foliis, alabastris et fructibus (plerumque > 2 cm latis)
majoribus differt.
A subspecies differing from the typical subspecies in its larger habit, leaves, buds
and fruit (usually > 2 cm broad). Pryor and Johnson code SIVCH.
Typus: Chutawalakin Hill, 24 August 1979, M.I.H. Brooker 6488 (holo: FRI; iso:
PERTH).
A stout mallee to 15 m tall with imperfectly decorticated, crisped ‘Minni Ritchi’
bark. Young branchlets smooth, reddish and covered by glaucous bloom. Seedling
leaves opposite for 5-6 pairs, petiolate, orbicular or cordate. Juvenile leaves alternate,
petiolate, cordate, to 10 x 8 cm thick, bright, shining green. Adult leaves alternate, on
glaucous petioles 2-6 cm long, lanceolate or falcate, to 24 x 5 cm, dull grey-green or
yellowish green. Inflorescences axillary, 3-flowered; peduncles and pedicels 10-33 mm
long; buds clavate, glaucous, to 40 x 20 mm, hypanthium obconical, operculum
conical or slightly beaked, outer operculum lost early in bud development. Stamens
red-pink, to 25 mm long. Fruit on long stout pedicels, bell-shaped, glaucous,
shallowly ribbed, to 37 x 40 mm; disc broad descending; valves 5 or 6, below rim
level.
Distribution. (Figure 2) Confined to a few granite tors (e.g. Cbiddarcooping Hill,
Chutawalakin Hill) in the eastern central wheatbelt of Western Australia.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Chiddarcooping Rocks, N of
Geelakin, 11 June 1928, G. E. Brockway s.n. (PERTH); Chiddarcooping Rock, 24
August 1979, M. I. H. Brooker 6485 (FRI); granite rock N of Westonia, September
1923, C. A. Gardner s.n. (PERTH); Warralakin, January 1964, C. A. Gardner s.n.
(PERTH); 10 km N of Warralakin, 5 January 1965, C. A. Gardner s.n. (PERTH);
Figure 4. The holotype of E. caesia subsp. magna, collected by M.I.H. Brooker at Chutawalakin Hill on
August 24, 1979, The specimen is mounted upside down, as the leaves and fruits of this subspecies are
normally pendulous.
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D, Hopper, Eucalyptus 119
118 “ 119 °
Billyacatting Hill, NE of Kununoppin, 1 September 1976, A. M. George 94
(PERTH); Billyacatting Hill, 16 km NW of Nungarin 31°03'S, 118°01'E, 7 June
1978, S. D. Hopper 1003 (PERTH); Chiddarcooping Hill 30°54'S, 118°41'E, 8 June
1978, S. D. Hopper 1006 (PERTH); Chutawalakin Hill 30°55'S, 118°44E, 9 June
1978, S. D. Hopper 1010 (PERTH); Coorancooping Hill 30°52'S, 118°41'E, 3 August
1978, S. D. Hopper 1044 (PERTH); Geelakin-Chiddarcooping, 17 August 1960, H.
Shugg s.n. (PERTH).
Ecology. Eucalyptus caesia subsp. magna is known to occur only in shallow sandy
loams at the base of granite rocks or in gullies bordered by ridges of sheet granite.
Populations usually consist of less than 100 plants. It frequently occurs in pure
16559 — 0 )
120
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
stands but is sometimes associated with Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata Brooker
et Hopper. Some other prominent associated species are Hakea petiolaris Meissner
and Calothamnus quadrifidus. R.Br.
Eucalyptus crucis Maiden subsp. crucis. Grit. Rev. Gen. Euc. 59, 514 (1923);
Blakely, Key Eucs 272 (1934); Pryor & Johnson, Class. Eucs 46 (1971); Chippendale,
Eucs. W.A. Goldfields 117 (1973) — Figure 5 and 8f, Table 1.
Typus: Southern Cross, April 1922, H. Steedman (NSW) — Figure 6.
An effuse mallee to 6 m tall with imperfectly decorticated, crisped ‘Minni Ritchi’
bark on stems to about 10 cm diameter. Young branchlets smooth, white, glaucous.
Seedling and juvenile leaves remaining opposite for many nodes, sessile, orbicular or
broader than long, conspicuously mucronate, to 5 x 4 cm, with minute black oil dots,
greyish green. Intermediate leaves opposite or sub-opposite, sub-sessile or shortly
(0.5-3. 5 mm and distinctly petiolate, ovate, to 6.5 x 5.5 cm, grey-green.
Inflorescences axillary, 7-flowered; peduncles and pedicels slender; buds glaucous, to
6x4 mm, hypanthium hemispherical, operculum obtusely or acutely conical, outer
operculum lost early in bud development. Fruit on long, slender pedicels,
hemispherical, glaucous, to 6 x 4 mm; disc broad, flat or slightly ascending; valves 4,
stout, strongly exserted.
Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata Brooker et Hopper subsp. nov. (Figures 5, 7
and 8e, Table 1).
A subspecie typica habitu majore et foliis adultis lanceolatis vel angusto-
lanceolatis differt.
A subspecies differing from the typical subspecies in its larger habit and the
canopy of lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate adult leaves (Table 1). Pryor and Johnson
code SIVCF.
Typus: Chiddarcooping Rock, 24 August 1979, M. 1. H. Brooker 6484 (holo: FRI; iso:
PERTH, NSW).
A large erect mallee to 15 m tall with imperfectly decorticated, crisped ‘Minni
Ritchi’ bark on stems to about 30 cm diameter. Young branchlets smooth, white,
glaucous. Seedling and juvenile leaves remaining opposite for many nodes, sessile,
orbicular or broader than long, conspicuously mucronate, to 5 x 3.5 cm, with minute
black oil dots, greyish green. Intermediate leaves opposite or sub-opposite, sub-
sessile or shortly and distinctly petiolate, ovate, to 6 x 2 cm, grey-green. Adult leaves
alternate, on slender petioles 5-15 m long, lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, to 10 x 2
cm, tapering to a fine, sometimes curved point, with many minute, black oil dots.
Inflorescences axillary, 7-flowered; peduncles and pedicels slender; buds glaucous, to
6x4 mm, hypanthium hemispherical, operculum obtusely or acutely conical, outer
operculum lost early in bud development. Fruit on long, slender pedicels,
hemispherical, glaucous, to 16 x 10 mm; disc broad, flat or slightly ascending; valves
4, stout, strongly exserted.
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus
©©•TYPE
. ■ - Hti;SlBilJ8 « Is
fit.
Figure 6. A paratype of E. crucis subsp. crucis, collected by H. Steedman from the Southern Cross district
in June 1922. This specimen clo.sely matches the holotype (D.F. Blaxell pers. comm.), which was also
collected by H. Steedman from the same district but two months earlier in April 1922.
¥fi
122
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
, !
Figure 7. The holotype of E. crucis subsp. lanceolata, collected by M. I. H. Brooker from Chiddarcooping
Hill on August 24, 1979.
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus
123
Distribution. (Figure 5) Restricted to a number of granite rocks in the central
wheatbelt of Western Australia.
Other collections examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: West of Nukarni, 20 Oct.
1946, G. E. Brockway 2 (PERTH); Chutawalakin Hill, 24 Aug. 1979, M. I. H. Brooker
6487 (FRI, PERTH, NSW); Kununoppin, Nov. 1929, E. A. Cook s.n. (PERTH); 6
miles N of Kununoppin, 22 Sept. 1975, H. Demarz 5605 (PERTH); Nalyering Well
near Kellerberrin, 25 May 1961, C. A. Gardner s.n. (PERTH); 4 miles N Warralakin,
5 Jan. 1965, C. A. Gardner s.n. (PERTH); near Yorkrakine, 1 June 1957, J. W. Green
1356 (PERTH); Billyacatting Hill 31°03'S, 118°01'E, 7 June 1978, S. D. Hopper 1001
(PERTH); Chiddarcooping Hill 30°54'S, 118°41'E, 8 June 1978, S. D. Hopper 1005
(PERTH); 1 km SE of Chutawalakin Hill 30°56'S, 118°44'E, 9 June 1978, S. D.
Hopper 1011 (PERTH); Yanneymooning Hill 30°43'S, 118°34'E, 28 June 1978, S. D.
Hopper 1016 (PERTH); Jouerdine Hill 30°38'S, 118°24'E, 14 July 1978, S. D.
Hopper 1022 (PERTH); 1 km SE of Chutawalakin Hill 30°56'S, 118°44'E, 2 Aug.
1978, S. D. Hopper 1033 (PERTH); 9.5 km E of Chiddarcooping Hill 30°54'S,
118°46'E, 2 Aug. 1978, S. D. Hopper 1041 (PERTH); c. 10 km NE of Chiddarcooping
Hill, 3 Aug. 1978, S. D. Hopper 1042 (PERTH); Dajoing Rock 30°27'S, 118°04'E, 4
Aug. 1978, S. D. Hopper 1049 (PERTH); 8 km SW of Chiddarcooping Hill, 7 Sept.
1978, S. D. Hopper 1128 (PERTH); 30 km NNW of Corrigin 32°05'S, 117°44'E, 9
June 1979, S. D. Hopper s.n. (PERTH); Chiddarcooping Hill, N of Warralakin, 2
May 1978, G. J. Keighery 1602 (PERTH); Billyacatting Hill Reserve 17746, 11 km
NE of Kununoppin, 3 Sept. 1977, B. G. Muir 102 (PERTH); Barbalin Rock, 2 Sept.
1969, K. Newbey 2871 (PERTH); Billyacatting Rock, 5 June 1976, E. Wittwer
W1716 (PERTH).
Ecology. Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata occurs in shallow granitic sands and
loams associated with large outcrops of granite rocks. It displays a clumped
distribution at any particular location. It is sometimes associated with Eucalyptus
caesia subsp. magna (e.g. at Chiddarcooping Hill, Billyacatting Hill), and with E.
orbifolia at Jouerdine Hill. It has not been found in sympatry with E. crucis subsp.
crucis.
Discussion. Eucalyptus crucis subsp. lanceolata and E. crucis subsp. crucis differ in
having adult leaves and juvenile leaves respectively in their mature canopies. They
show no obvious differences in the morphology of their fruits, buds or flowers.
Elsewhere in Eucalyptus, related adult-leaved and juvenile-leaved taxa have been
recognised as distinct species (e.g. E. gamophylla F. Muell.— £. odontocarpa F.
MuelL, E. risdonii Hook. f. — E. tenuiramis Miq., E. fruticosa M. I. H. Brooker — E.
foecunda Schau.). However, in E. crucis, the typical subspecies shows a range in leaf
form from populations stabilised for orbicular, apetiolate, fully juvenile leaves (e.g.
at Sandford Rock) to populations with ovate, shortly petiolate leaves that are
intermediate between the juvenile and adult conditions (e.g. at Moorine Rocks or
Warren Double Cunyan) (Figure 5 and Table 1). These intermediate populations
indicate that the genetic fixation of a fully juvenile-leaved form in all populations of
E. crucis subsp. crucis has not yet occurred. Hence we feel it appropriate to recognise
the two forms in E. crucis as subspecies rather than separate species.
Previously, E. crucis subsp. lanceolata has been confused with a number of species,
including E. leptopoda, E. drummondii and E. orbifolia (e.g. Gardner, 1954).
However, it is clearly distinct from the first two of these three taxa in having crisped
‘Minni Ritchi’ bark and in its restriction to granite rocks. It differs from E. orbifolia
in having acute, non-emarginate, lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate leaves.
Table 1. Means, standard errors and ranges for three leaf measurements taken on the longest leaf of plants in populations of the two subspecies of Eucalyptus
124
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
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M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus
125
The patterns of subspecific variation in E. crucis and E. caesia differ considerably,
the former species displaying interpopulational divergence from the juvenile-leaved
to the adult-leaved condition, while subspecies in E. caesia have diverged primarily
in the size of their buds, flowers, fruits and leaves. The evolutionary pressures
responsible for these differing patterns of divergence warrant further investigation.
Notes on seedlings in the subseries Orbifolinae.
In eucalypts, the natural affinity between related species is often expressed by
similarities in leaf ontogeny of the young plants. This is to be expected between
sibling species of comparatively recent evolutionary divergence such as must be the
case with E. oleosa F. Muell. and E. loi7gicornis F. Muell. (a superspecies in the sense
of Pryor and Johnson, 1971). The same can be said for some higher taxonomic
categories, e.g. subseries Viminalinae, series Erythronemae, and more rarely at the
section level, viz. Dumaria, the members of which have very similar seedlings.
It can probably be said for most subseries that seedling characters show little
variation between species. Therefore it is surprising to observe the great variation in
leaf ontogeny between species in the subseries Orbifolinae.
In this taxonomic study of the Orbifolinae, authenticated seed of all available
collections were sown (Appendix 1) and the seedlings were grown in a glasshouse for
12 weeks by which time they were up to 30 cm tall and distinctions had become very
obvious. Progeny of each number were remarkably uniform. Samples were harvested
and pressed flat and photographed (Figure 8). After drying, the seedlings were
mounted with the parent specimens at FRI.
The seedling observations provided a useful confirmation of the taxonomic levels
recognised and formalised by this study and by Pryor and Johnson (1971) who
suggest subspecies status for E. orbifolia and E. websteriana. Although there was
variation within the 4 species (as now proposed) each was distinct from the others
and identifiable (within the subseries) on the seedlings alone. Both members of the
subspecies pairs (described and proposed), on the other hand, resembled each other
closely and differed mainly in size.
The seedling leaves of E. crucis (both subspecies) are sessile, opposite for many
nodes, orbicular, glaucous and thin. The seedling leaves of E. orbifolia and E.
websteriana (proposed subspecies) are petiolate, opposite for few (5-10) pairs,
orbicular to broader than long, glaucous to slightly glaucous, and thin. The seedling
leaves of E. ewartiana are petiolate, opposite for very few (3-4) pairs, ovate, light dull
green, and thin. The seedling leaves of E. caesia (both subspecies) are petiolate,
opposite for very few (5-6) pairs, orbicular to broader than long, or cordate, bright
shining green, and thick.
Even if the species in the series (as opposed to the subspecies) are of relatively
ancient evolutionary divergence and a true seedling leaf phase has been suppressed
in E. ewartiana, E. caesia sens. lat. and E. orbifolia sens, lat., it is difficult to relate
the early leaves of these 3 species with the later leaves of E. crucis sens. lat. In other
words the heterophyllous sequence and morphological distinction in leaf character at
all ontogenetic stages has been remarkably different. This fortunately allows useful
distinctions for a botanical key.
126
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 8. Pressed seedlings of (a) E. caesia subsp. magna (seed from M. /. H. Brooker 6488), (b) E. caesia
subsp. caesia (FRl 14408), (c) and (d) E. ewartiana (M. I. H. Brooker 2424 and M. I. H. Brooker 6419), (e)
E. crucis subsp. lanceolata (M. I. H. Brooker 6487), (f) E. crucis subsp. crucis (M. 1. H. Brooker 2427), (g)
E. orbifolia (M.I.H. Brooker 5114), (h) E. Websteriana (M.I.H. Brooker 2224).
M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper, Eucalyptus
127
Key to the species of subseries Orbifolinae
1. Disc of fruit descending; leaves of the seedling petiolate, shining green, thick
2. Fruit usually urceolate, less than 2 cm broad, stamens faded
pink E. caesia subsp. caesia
2. Fruit usually bell-shaped, more than 2 cm broad, stamens red-
pink E. caesia subsp. magna
1. Disc of fruit broad, ascending or horizontal; leaves of the seedling petiolate or
sessile, glaucous or dull green, thin
3. Operculum shorter than or equal to hypanthium, rounded, or pileate with
buds constricted, pedicels stout and often angular; leaves of the seedling
petiolate, dull green E. ewartiana
3. Operculum longer than hypanthium, pointed, buds not constricted, pedicels
not strongly angular; leaves of the seedling petiolate or sessile, glaucous
4. Leaves of mature plant lanceolate or narrow-lanceolate, petiolate,
entire E. crucis subsp. lanceolata
4. Leaves of mature plant orbicular or elliptical or ovate, sessile or petiolate,
entire or emarginate
5. Leaves of mature plant glaucous, sessile and orbicular or broader
than long, or shortly petiolate and ovate, entire; seedling leaves
sessile, tree or mallee E. crucis subsp. crucis
5. Leaves of mature plant green or glaucous, petioles to 2 cm long,
elliptical or ovate to orbicular, emarginate; seedling leaves petiolate;
usually a mallee
6. Leaves ovate or orbicular, glaucous E. orbifolia
6. Leaves longer than broad, green or yellow-green... K. websteriana
References
Chippendale, G. M. (1973). ‘Eucalypts of the Western Australian Goldfields’. (AGPS ; Canberra).
Gardner C A. (1954). Trees of Western Australia No. 23— Gungunnu. West Aust. Dept. Agric. Bull. No.
Hopper, S. D., Campbell, N. A. and Caputi, N. (In press). Geographical variation in fruits, leaves and huds
ot Eucalyptus caesia. Aust. J. Bot.
Maiden, J. H. (1923). ‘A Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus’ 6 : 514. (Govt. Printer : Sydney).
Molyneaux, W. (1978). Plant Cultivars. Aust. Plants 9 : 78-81.
Pryor, L. D., and Johnson, L. A. S. (1971). ‘A Classification of the Eucalypts’. (Aust. Natl. Univ. :
128
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Appendix 1. Seed source for seedling trial.
E. caesia subsp. magna Chutawalakin Hill, W.A. [Brooker 6488)
Chiddarcooping Hill, W.A. {Hopper 1006)
E. caesia subsp. caesia Mt Caroline, W.A. (FRI 14408)
Boyagin Rock, W.A. (Brooker 6753)
E. ewartiana 55 mi NE of Wubin, W.A. {Brooker 1978)
c. 60 mi SW of Sandstone, W.A. {Brooker 2424)
c. 85 mi N of Bullfinch, W.A. {Brooker 2452)
5 km NW of Bullfinch, W.A. {Brooker 6429)
4.5 mi W of Westonia, W.A. (FRI 15625)
58.5 mi N of Bullfinch, W.A. (FRI 15645)
E. crucis subsp. lanceolata Chutawalakin Hill, W.A. {Brooker 6487)
Chiddarcooping Rock, W.A. {Brooker 6484)
E. crucis subsp. crucis Sandford Rock, W.A. {Brooker 2427)
Moorine Rock, W.A. (G. Moran 3,4)
5 km SE of Keokanie, W.A. (G. Moran 11)
E. orbifolia c. 55 mi NE of Kalgoorlie, W.A. {Brooker 2581)
Serpentine Gorge, N. Terr. {Brooker 5095)
Krichauff Range, N. Terr. (Brooker 5114)
Mt Sonder, N. Terr. (C. Dunlop 2513)
Pigeon Rock, W.A. (FRI 15664)
E. websteriana Mt Edward, W.A. {Brooker 2224)
5.7 mi NW of Norseman, W.A. {Brooker 4531)
Comet Hill, W.A. {Brooker 6466)
Nuytsia 4(1): 129-134 (1982)
129
Eucalyptus synandra (Myrtaceae), a new species of mallee from
Western Australia
M.D. Crisp
Herbarium, National Botanic Gardens, P.O. Box 158, Canberra City, A.C.T, 2601
Abstract
Crisp, M.D. Eucalyptus synandra, (Myrtaceae) a new species of mallee from Western Australia. Nuytsia
4(1): 129-134 (1982). A new Western Australian species. Eucalyptus synandra, is described from a few
populations scattered from near Morawa to the Great Victoria Desert. It is distinguished by its stamens
being united into a tube, by its non urceolate fruit which is usually grooved between disc and hypanthium
and by its long (7-15 mm) fruiting pedicel. A lectotype is chosen for its near relative, E. leptopoda Benth.
Eucalyptus synandra Crisp, sp. nov. (Figure 1)
Frutex ad E. leptopodam arte cognatus sed propter filamenta longiora in tubum
connata, flores pendentes, alabastra operculo longiore (10-20 mm), pedicellos
iongiores (7-15 mm), fructum plerumque sulco inter hypanthium discumque, valde
differt. Eucalyptus synandra ad E. beardianam etiam accedit, sed propter folia
juvenales ad basin attenuata nec rotundata et hypanthium fructus depressum-
hemisphaericum nec cupulatum-urceolatum facile dignoscenda.
Typus : ± 5 km S of Jingymia, 30°31'S, 117°25'E, 2 Jan. 1981, A. S. George 16203,
fl., fr., photo, spirit material (holo : PERTH; iso : CBG, FRI, K, NSW, PERTH).
Mallee 2-6 m tall, with erect or pendulous branchlets; bark smooth, white to grey.
Cotyledons bisected; petiole 2-3 mm long; lobes 3-4 mm long. Juvenile leaves
opposite only for 1-4 pairs, linear- to narrow-ovate, with slightly recurved margins,
tapering to a short petiole, 15-90 x 2-15 mm, dull, grey-green, paler beneath; seedling
stem tuberculate. Adult leaves not opposite, linear or rarely narrow-elliptic, tapering
gently to both ends, uncinate, 40-200 x 4-15 mm; veins and glands obscure on dried
specimens; petiole 3-15 mm long. Unit inflorescences axillary, 7-flowered. Peduncle
decurved, terete, slender, 9-18 mm long. Mature buds ovoid to conical, 15-25 mm
long; hypanthium depressed-hemispherical, much broader than long; operculum 10-
20 mm long, attenuated into a long, sometimes filiform beak; pedicel filiform, 7-
15 mm long. Flowers pendulous. Androecium united in a tube by filaments in lower
1/3 to 2/3 but sometimes with a few outermost filaments free almost to base, shed
intact, creamy yellow at anthesis, becoming pink or red with age. Inner filaments
shorter than outer filaments, inflexed in bud. Anthers versatile, obloid-globular, c.
0.7 mm long. Style slender, more or less reaching inner tip of operculum beak in bud.
Ovary 4-7-locular. Fruit 9-14 mm diam.; hypanthium depressed-hemispherical, 3-
5 mm long; disc narrower, truncate-conical, steep-sided, 2-5 mm high; operculum
scars and staminophore usually in a groove between hypanthium rim and disc; valves
exserted. Seed irregularly compressed-ovoid, with acute margins, pale brown, semi-
lustrous, finely reticulate with shallow pits, dorsally rounded, ventrally angular;
hilum inconspicuous.
130
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Figure 1. Eucalyptus synandra 1 — Holotype specimen, A. S. George 16203. 2 — Plant near Jingymia from
which type W'as collected (photo by A. S. George). 3 — Stems and bark (photo by A. S. George). 4 — Seedling,
from M. D. Crisp 6693. 5 — Cotyledons, from M. D. Crisp 6693. 6 — Buds, from bolotype. 7 — Flowers
showing connate filaments, from holotype. 8 — Fruits, from M. D. Crisp 6693.
M.D. Crisp, Eucalyptus synandra
Distribution. (Figure 2) Western Australia : about six known populations scattered
from the southern Great Victoria Desert to north of Koorda, Mt Gibson and north of
Morawa.
Habitat. Eucalyptus synandra usually grows on laterite or on ironstone ridges, but
one collection (Hallherg S4671) is from sand. It typically occurs in small stands. At
the type locality the substrate is a pale cemented soil with ironstone nodules,
weathering to a sandy loam, and the vegetation is a tall shrubland of Acacia sp.
Selected collections (21 seen). WESTERN AUSTRALIA: In arenosis saxosis prope
montem Gibson, Oct. 1968, C. A. Gardner s.n. (Perth); 6.5 miles [10.4 km] E of
Gutha, H. Demarz 1449 (PERTH); 5.5 km S of Jingymia, M. D. Crisp 6693-6 (CBG,
FRI, NSW, PERTH); near Kulja, C. A. Gardner 12100 (PERTH); 200 km SE of
Laverton, 37 km E of Dead Horse Soak, J. Hallherg S4671 (FRI); 15 miles [24 km] S
of Queen Victoria Springs, R. D. Royce 5286 (PERTH); 52 miles [83 km] N of
transline [transcontinental railway line] road from a point 13 miles [21 km] E of
Kitchener, Forester Brennan K 133 (PERTH).
Affinities. Eucalyptus synandra belongs to the informal section Bisectaria subseries
Leptopodinae of Pryor and Johnson (1971), within which it is best placed between E.
leptopoda Benth. (code SIVAA) and E. beardiana Brooker et Blaxell (code SIVAB).
Unfortunately no code is available in that position in Pryor and Johnson’s
classification.
Figure 2. Distribution of Eucalyptus synandra and E. leptopoda.
132
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
Table 1 gives diagnostic characters separating these three species. The most
striking character of E. synandra, its connate androecium (Figure 1), at once
separates it from E. leptopoda. Brooker and Blaxell (1978) report a population of E.
leptopoda with united stamens, but the specimen (R. D. Royce 5286) on which the
report is based (M. I. H. Brooker, personal communication) belongs to E. synandra.
The type population of E. beardiana at “Coburn” Station also has united stamens
(Brooker and Blaxell, 1978). Within Eucalyptus this character is restricted to these
two species, and is clearly a derived condition. However, the central population of E.
beardiana, at “158 km peg, N of Geraldton on Highway 1”, appears to have stamens
which are free to the base, as seen on old flowers attached to the specimen M. I. H.
Brooker 5023 (FRI, NSW). These flowers were collected from the ground but almost
certainly had fallen from the plant from which the specimen was taken (D. F.
Blaxell, personal communication). There is a third population of E. beardiana at
“158 km N of Gingin on Highway 1”, but the only specimen, L. D. Pryor s.n., 28 June
1978 (FRI), lacks flowers. The similarity between the localities cited for the central
and southern populations is coincidental. It is apparent that the variation of the
androecium of E. beardiana needs to be investigated further.
Table 1. Diagnostic characters of Eucalyptus synandra, E. leptopoda and E. beardiana
E. synandra
E. leptopoda
E. beardiana
Stamens
All except outermost
coherent in a tube for
lower 1/2 to 2/3.
Free to base.
Type population: united in
a tube. Central population:
free to base. Southern
population: unknown.
Operculum length
(mm)
12.9 ± 2.6l (n = 9)2
shortest measured 10.3
5.9 ± 1.0 (n = 12)
longest measured 8.1
13.3 ± 1.3 (n = 20)3
Juvenile leaves
Tapering to petiole, grey-
green.
Tapering to petiole, grey-
green.
Rounded at base, green.
Soil
Usually outcropping lat-
erite, rarely sand.
Deep, usually yellow sand.
Sand, usually dunes.
Fruiting pedicel
length (mm)
10.8 ± 1.8 (n = 15)
shortest measured 7.3
4.5 ± 1.1 (n = 44)
Longest measured 7.7
—
Ratio — pedicel
length:
hypanthium
length
3.2 ± 0.7 (n =15)
lowest 2.2
1.1 ± 0.2 (n = 44)
highest 2.2
Fruit diameter
(mm)
10.1 ± 1.5 (n = 15)
8.0 ± 1.0 (n = 44)
10.9 ± 0.9 (n = 29)4
Fruit shape
Hypanthium depressed-
hemispherical, not con-
stricted: disc truncate-
conical, steep-sided;
usually hypanthium
rimmed, with a groove
between it and disc.
Hypanthium hemispheri-
cal; disc from flat to
broadly convex; when disc
strongly convex, fruit not
or slightly rimmed or
grooved.
Hypanthium cupular-urceo-
late (constricted just below
rim); disc slightly depressed
to slightly convex.
1. Standard deviation.
2. Except where otherwise indicated (below), each datum is an average of ten measurements from a single
specimen.
3. Twenty measurements from one specimen from the type locality. A specimen from the central locality
had much shorter buds but was not measured.
4. Twenty nine measurements from four specimens.
M, D. Crisp, Eucalyptus synandra
133
Eucalyptus beardiana is readily separated from E. synandra and E. leptopoda by
its urceolate fruits and by its juvenile leaves being green and being rounded at the
base (Table 1). Also, the adult leaves of E. beardiana contract abruptly to the petiole
by contrast with the gently tapering leaves of E. synandra (Figure 1) and E.
leptopoda. Eucalyptus leptopoda resembles E. synandra very closely, especially in
vegetative morphology, but a combination of fruit morphology, length of pedicel,
ratio of pedicel to hypanthium length and soil of the habitat will serve to separate
non-flowering material of these species (Table 1).
Variation. There is slight geographic variation in the morphology and habitat of
Eucalyptus synandra. Plants from the vicinity of the Great Victoria Desert have
erect non-glaucous branchlets and in places may grow in sand, whereas plants from
all populations farther west, including the type, have pendulous glaucous branchlets
and always grow on laterite or ironstone hills. However, I am reluctant to propose
formal infra-specific taxa before the species is known better. It is worth noting that
the peduncles of E. synandra always appear to be decurved such that the flowers are
pendulous, irrespective of the orientation of the branchlet. Thus the peduncles are
recurved away from the tips of the erect branchlets in the Great Victoria Desert
populations, whereas in the western populations they have the same direction as the
pendulous branchlet tips.
Eucalyptus leptopoda Benth., El. Austral. 3: 238 (1867).
Type citation: “W. Australia, Drummond, 5th Coll. Suppl. n. 33 and 36, also n. 151
and 188 of other sets”.
Lectotype (here designated): Drummond 5th Coll. Suppl. no. 33 (K; iso: BM, CGE,
E, FI, K, KW, LE, MEL, NSW, PERTH, W). The chosen sheet is labelled, in part,
“33 J. Drummond S.W. Australia 1850” and stamped “Herbarium Hookerianum
1867”.
E. angustifolia Turcz., Bull. Phys. Matb. Acad. Petersb. 10: 337 (1852), non Desf.
(1804). Holotype: “Nova Hollandia Drummond coll: V n. 33” (KW).
A lectotype is chosen here to fix the application of the name of E. leptopoda
according to current usage. This is necessary because the syntypes no. 151 and 188
belong to E. salmonophloia F. Muell. (1878). In fact, Bentham (1867; p. 239) implies
that 188 is atypical and cites it and 151 apparently as an afterthought. Only the
syntypes Drummond 5th Coll. nos. 33 and 36 belong to the species currently
regarded as E. leptopoda. At K, there are two sheets of Drummond 5th Coll. no. 33.
The lectotype carries the name “E. leptopoda Benth.” in Bentham’s handwriting,
and has an abundance of leaves, fruits and immature buds. By contrast, Drummond
5th Coll. no. 36 (K) and the other sheet of Drummond 5th Coll. no. 33 in K both
have few fruits and are consequently poorer specimens. Mueller (1878; p. 11, 14)
excludes Drummond 151 and 188 from E. leptopoda, assigning them instead to his
new species E. salmonophloia. He states that he has no specimen of “Drummond 36”
and implicitly chooses “Drummond no. 33” as the type of E. leptopoda by citing it
alone. This implied lectotypification is not valid because the single sheet of
Drummond 33 in MEL carries no indication that Bentham has seen it (vide para. 4
(a) under “Guide for the determining of types” in Stafleu et al. (1978)). Maiden
134
Nuytsia Vol. 4, No. 1 (1982)
(1912) follows Mueller by including Drummond 151 and 188 in E. salmonophloia but
makes no further attempt to clarify the typification of E. leptopoda. I have seen only
photographs (at FRI) of the type material, with the exception of the isolectotypes at
MEL and NSW, which I have seen.
Eucalyptus leptopoda is variable, especially in its fruit morphology, but is an
integral species which cannot be readily subdivided. The disc of the fruit varies from
more or less flat in populations south of 30°S to strongly convex further north, but
intergradation is continuous between the extremes and the geographic pattern is not
entirely consistent (strongly convex fruits have been collected at 32°S).
There is no evidence that E. leptopoda intergrades with E. synandra, even though
the species are sympatric (Figure 2). Typical Eucalyptus leptopoda is growing on
sand in two populations very close to the type locality of E. synandra. One
population has its southern boundary only 0.8 km N of the E. synandra, and extends
c. 1 km northward (B. V. Smith, personal communication). The other population
occurs 3.5 km SW from the E. synandra and has the erect bushy habit, fruit
morphology and short fruiting pedicels typical of E. leptopoda (Crisp 6697, CBG,
FRI, PERTH).
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank Basil and Mary Smith for bringing E. synandra to my attention
and for their hospitality. I would like to thank also Alex George who collected the
type specimens, supplied photographs, and commented on the manuscript.
References
Bentham, G. (1867), Eucalyptus leptopoda. ‘Flora Australiensis’. Vol. 3. (Reeve: London.)
Brooker, M, 1. H, and Blaxell, D. F. (1978). Five new species of Eucalyptus from Western Australia.
Nuytsia 2. 220-231.
Maiden, J, H. (1912). ‘A critical revision of the genus Eucalyptus'. Vol. 2. (Govt. Printer: Sydney.)
Mueller, F. von (1878). ‘Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae’. Vol. 11. (Govt. Printer: Melbourne.)
Pryor, L. D. and .Johnson, L. A. S. (1971). ‘A classification of the Eucalypts.’ (Aust. Natl. Univ. Press:
Canberra.)
Stafleu, F. A. et al. (1978). ‘International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.’ (Bohn, Schelteraa & Holkema:
Utrecht.)
Publication date of Nuytsia Volume 3 Number 3: 11 September 1981
16559/12/81— 1M-
WILLIAM C BROWN. Government Printer. Western Australia
Notes for Authors
Nuytsia publishes papers relating to the flora of Western Australia. All papers are refereed
outside the Western Australian Herbarium. 7 he Herbarium reserves the right to reject
papers.
Manuscripts must be submitted in duplicate. They should be typewritten, double spaced,
with 2.5 cm margins and no underlining. Pages should be numbered. The desired position of
text figures may be pencilled in the margin. An abstract should be provided. For style and
layout, recent numbers of Nuytsia should be followed. Galley proofs will be forwarded to
authors for checking. Reprints may be ordered at the author's expense.
CONTENTS
An introduction to a series of papers describing new species from the
Wongan Hills and surrounding district. By Kevin F. Kenneally .... 1
A new species of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) endemic to the Wongan
Hills, Western Australia. By R. J. Chinnock 5
Daviesia spiralis and D. debilior (Leguminosae:Papilionoideae), two new
species occurring in the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. By M. D.
Crisp 9
A new species of Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) from the Wongan Hills
district. Western Australia. By Stephen D. Hopper 17
A new species of Microcorys (Lamiaceae) from the Wongan Hills,
Western Australia. By Kevin F. Kenneally 23
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 10. Acacia
species of the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. By B. R. Maslin . . . 29
Eriostemon wonganensis (Rutaceae), a new species from the Wongan
Hills, Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 47
Rhagodia acicularis (Chenopodiaceae), a new species from the Wongan
Hills, Western Australia. By Paul G. Wilson 51
A new species of Conostylis R.Br. (Haemodoraceae) from the Fitzgerald
River area. Western Australia. By J. W. Green 55
Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 11. Acacia
species of the Hamersley Range area. Western Australia. By B. R.
Maslin 61
StiMies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae:Mimosoideae) — 12. Two new
”species from the eastern goldfields. Western Australia. By B. R.
Maslin 105
New subspecies in Eucalyptus caesia and in E. crucis (Myrtaceae) of
Western Australia. By M. I. H. Brooker and S. D. Hopper 113
Eucalyptus synandra (Myrtaceae), a new species of mallee from
Western Australia. By M. D. Crisp 129
Publication date of Nuytsia Volume 3 Number 3 134
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