Acacia epacantha
| Acacia epacantha | |
|---|---|
| In the Australian National Botanic Gardens | |
Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. epacantha
|
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia epacantha | |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Acacia epacantha is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a dense, spreading shrub with bipinnate leaves with a single pair of pinnae, spines in the leaf axils, spherical heads of golden yellow flowers, and curved to coiled pods.
Description
Acacia epacantha is a dense, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–50 cm (12–20 in). Its leaves are bipinnate with a single pair of pinnae 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long on a petiole usually longer than 0.5 mm (0.020 in). Each pinna has two pairs of leaflets 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long, 0.7–1.5 mm (0.028–0.059 in) wide, green and glabrous, with the edges rolled under. There are spines 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long in leaf axils. The flowers are borne in spherical heads near or above the middle of the axillary spines on a peduncle 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long, each head with 23 to 26 golden yellow flowers. Flowering occurs from July to August, and the pods are curved to coiled, 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) wide and hairy. The seeds are oblong to circular, 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.138 in) long.[3][4][5][6]
This species of wattle is closely related to Acacia fagonioides, and both are unique members of the Acacia pulchella group in having inflorescences borne on axillary spines.[4]
Taxonomy
This species was first formally described in 1975 by Bruce Maslin, who gave it the name Acacia lasiocarpa var. epacantha in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Badgingarra towards Dandaragan in 1973.[7][8] In 1979, Maslin raised the variety to species status as Acacia epacantha in a later edition of Nuytsia.[6][9] The specific epithet (epacantha) refers to the fact that the flowers are borne on the axillary spine.[8]
Distribution and habitat
This species of wattle grows in lateritic loam or clay in heath and open wandoo woodland and is restricted to the Eneabba-Dandaragan area in the Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[10]
Conservation status
Acacia epacantha is listed as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[10] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[11]
See also
References
- ^ Plummer, J. (2021). "Acacia epacantha". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T172606024A176376538. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T172606024A176376538.en. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Acacia epacantha". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ Maslin, Bruce R. "Acacia epacantha". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Acacia epacantha". World Wide Wattle. Western Australian Herbarium. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Acacia epacantha". Australian Biological Resources Study. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ a b Maslin, Bruce R. (1979). "Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) - 9 Additional notes on the Series Pulchellae Benth". Nuytsia. 2 (6): 359. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ "Acacia lasiocarpa var. epacantha". APNI. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ a b Maslin, Bruce R. (1975). "Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) - 4 A Revision of Series Pulchellae". Nuytsia. 1 (5): 416–417. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ "Acacia epacantha". APNI. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Acacia epacantha". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 14 November 2025.