25 
No. 192. 
Acacia gladiiformis Benth. 
The Sword Wattle. 
(Family LEGUMINOS^E : MIMOSEyE.) 
Botanical description. Genus, Acacia. (See Part XV, p. 103.) 
Botanical description. Species, A. gladiiformis Bentham in Hooker's London 
Journal of Botany i, 354 (1842). 
Following is the original description : 
A. gla-liiformis (Cimn. MSS.), glaberrima, rainulis angulatis phyllodiis longe lineari-lanceolatis 
spathulatisve incurvo-arcuatis obtusis mucronulatis biisi louge angustatis crassis marginatis nitidis 
uninerviis, venis obscuris, glandulis 2-5, racemis phyllodio brevioribus, capitulis multifloris dense 
imbricatis, sepalis spathulatis ciliatis, ovario glabro. Species rigida, laevis, iccitate rubescens. Phyllodia 
3-5 pollicaria. Racemi rhaehis rigida, flexuosa. Legumen lineare, planum, flexuosum, inargiaatum, 
valvulis coriaceis. Rocky hills, interior of N.S.W., Cunninyham. (Bentham in Hooker's L on ton 
Journal of Botany, Vol. 1, p. 354.) 
It was then described in English by Bentham in the following words : 
A tall shrub, quite glabrous ; branchlets angular. 
Phyllodia linear-lanceolate or almost spathulate, curved, very obtuse or with a small hooked 
point, 3 to 6 inches long, much narrowed towards the base, thickly coriaceous, 1-nerved, 
smooth and shining, the margins thickened, and usually two or more marginal glands. 
Racemes short, the rhaehis rigid and flexuose, with several dense globular heads of above 
30 flowers, mostly 5-merous. 
Sepals narrow-linear, spathulate, with dark concave tips more than half the length of the 
corolla. 
Petals smooth. 
Pod elongated, flat but flexuose, about three lines broad, coriaceous. 
Seeds longitudinal ; funicle long, slightly dilated, encircling the seed in a double fold, but not 
returning the third time as in A. amtena. (B.Fl. Vol. ii, 365.) 
Affinities. The species with which it is most likely to be confused are 
A. hakeoides A. Cunn., and A. obtusata Sieb. 
As regards A. hakeoides, it certainly resembles it a good deal in the bush 
and some field notes will be found under " Habitat." 
In A. yladiiformis the phyllodes are usually rather longer and more incurved, 
with 2 to 5 glands prominent on the upper edge. It has two folds of the funicle 
encircling the seed, while in A. hakeoides (see Plate 192) the funicle is clavate 
and does not encircle the seed. The shapes and hairiness of the flowers of the two 
species are sufficiently distinct. 
