NOTES ON ACACIA. 475 



The pods of A. retinodes are narrower, but the funicles 

 are not dissimilar. 



The two species bear, however, such general and detailed 

 resemblance to each other that it is obvious that they are 

 closely related. At the same time I am satisfied that the 

 species are sufficiently distinct from each other. 



2. With A. rubida A. Ounn. A. Mabellce resembles it in 

 the seedlings and encircling funicle to the seed only. The 

 phyllodes of A. rubida are much coarser, of a different 

 colour, and they generally have a fine more or less hooked 

 tip. They have not the pendulous appearance of A. Mabellce 

 neither is the persistent bipinnate foliage of A. rubida so 

 obvious. The stems and rhachis of A. rubida are waxy 

 smooth except at the extreme tips which have a yellow 

 pubescence. 



The flowers also of A. rubida are of a rich golden yellow, 

 while in the new species they are of a pale whitish cream 

 colour, and the rhachis matted with hair. 



3. With A. penninervis Sieb. The rhachis of the new 

 species is densely clothed with a golden pubescence ; it is 

 smooth in A, penninervis, though there is a tomentum of a 

 similar character (though less copious), in the variety 

 falciformis of A. penninervis. 



The venation of the phyllodes is indistinct, but similar 

 to that of A. penninervis; there is no intramarginal vein, 

 but the edges of the phyllodes are nerve-like and the mid- 

 rib prominent on both sides. There is a gland as in A. 

 penninervis. The phyllodes are much longer than those of 

 A. penninervis. 



As regards the new species, the flowers are cream- 

 coloured and sweet scented; those of A. penninervis have 

 less odour. The petals are five or six in number, glabrous, 

 broader than those of A, penninervis, and much more frail 

 in texture. 



