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DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ACACIA. 

 By J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., and R. T. Baker, F.L.S. 



(Plate XXV.) 



Acacia Muelleriana, n.sp. 



A handsome shrub or tree, 20 feet in height as seen, and bearing 

 some general resemblance to A. decurrtns, var. normalis, but from 

 which it differs in important points ; glabrous in all its parts ; 

 branches terete, except perhaps the extremities, slightly decurrent 

 at the junction of the branchlets, resembling in this respect in a 

 slight degree some forms of A. decurrens, var. mollis. The young 

 shoots show no distinctive coloration such as is found in the 

 varieties of A. decurrens and A. dealhata. Pinnae mostly one 

 pair, rarely three pairs, leaflets linear, not numerous, mostly six, 

 nearly one line broad, over twelve lines long, obtuse, gradually 

 narrowing to the base, often curved at the free end. Glands few, 

 one at the base of each pair of pinnse, the lower one a little 

 removed from the point of juncture. The common petiole winged 

 on the upper edge. Flower heads exceedingly small, on filiform 

 peduncles in axillary racemes on the branchlets, about as long as 

 or scarcely exceeding the leaves, 6 to 12 in a raceme; the upper 

 ones forming a loose terminal panicle. Flowers 5 to 8 in the head. 

 Calyx-lobes acute, nearly half the length of the corolla. Petals 

 glabrous, slightly ribbed. Pod glabrous, thin, moniliform in many 

 cases, much longer than any of the varieties of the decurrens group, 

 5 to 7 inches long, about 4 lines broad. Seed ovate, longitudinal ; 

 funicle thickened into a club-shaped aril under the seed, with a 

 short fold below it. 



Hah. — Foot of ranges forming the southern watershed of the 

 western branches of the Hunter River, New South Wales (J. 

 Dawson). 



