Acacia unguicula

center|100x100px	This species is classified RARE. DO NOT harvest this species!

General Plant Info

Acacia unguicula is an erect, open, pungent shrub growing to 2 m tall (or tree to 3 m), with smooth grey bark. The stipules are persistent, somewhat recurved and 0.7-1.2 mm long. The phyllodes are rigid, erect, narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, pungent, to 40 mm long and 4 mm wide, with 14-16 prominent nerves. They are olive green and clustered towards the ends of the branches, with the persistent stipules remaining on the bare brachlets. The flower heads are deep golden, globular, 5-6mm in diameter, in clusters of 24-34 flowers on stalks 7-11mm long. The reddish-brown pods are linear, becoming coiled, to 60 mm long, 2 mm wide (CALM 2005; Cowan & Maslin 1990; Maslin 2001; Patrick 2001; WA Herbarium 2005).

Acacia unguicula is related to Acacia lineolate subsp. multilineata and Acacia patagiata but differs in its persistent spiny stipules, and very strongly raised prominent nerves. It is also similar to Acacia formidabilis (Maslin 2001).

Listed as Critically Endangered (Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (Western Australia): September 2013)

Geographic distribution

Known only from Ninghan Stn, between Wubin and Paynes Find in south-western W.A. Grows in rocky clay or loam in open scrub.

Beard’s Provinces: Eremaean Province.

IBRA Regions: Yalgoo.

IBRA Subregions: Tallering.

Local Government Areas (LGAs): Yalgoo.

Identification

Shrub 1–2 m or tree to 3 m high. Branchlets slightly ribbed, glabrous except appressed-puberulous in axils. Stipules persistent, spinose, recurved, 0.5–1.2 mm long.

Phyllodes erect, narrowly oblong to oblong-oblanceolate or elliptic, straight or slightly curved, 2- 4 cm long, 3–4 mm wide, acute, pungent, rigid, olive green, glabrous, with 14–16 distant, strongly raised, yellowish nerves, the internerve region green and bearing stomata; glands 1 or 2.

Inflorescences simple, 2 per axil; peduncles 7–11 mm long, glabrous; heads globular, 5–6 mm diam., 24–34-flowered, deep golden. Flowers 5-merous; sepals free.

Pods (immature) linear, to 6 cm long, 2 mm wide, slightly appressed-puberulous.

Seeds not seen.

Cultivation

Grown on rocky clay or loam.

Links

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=55592

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/12271

http://www.worldwidewattle.com/speciesgallery/unguicula.php