R.S. Cowan & B.R. Maslin, Acacia Miscellany -- 1 
195 
Typus: Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve, Western Australia, 23 July 1989, B.R. Maslin 6385 (holo: 
PERTH; iso: AD, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, NSW, NY, US, Z). 
Erect, open, often spindly shrubs 1-2 m tall. Bark smooth. Branchlets slightly angled, ± 
tubcrculatc, glabrous, resinous. Stipules not seen, apparently absent. Phyllodes terete with strongly, 
excentrically curved, acute tips and a 0.5 mm long pulvinus, (l-5)25-30(-35) mm long, 0.7-0. 8 mm 
diam., ascending, incurved, glabrous, dull, grey-green; nerves resinous, impressed, forming a 
coarse, regular reticulum, arcolcs raised markedly. Gland circular, brownish, depressed in centre, 
situated on upper surface of phyllode 0.5-2 mm above pulvinus. Peduncles (2.5-)3-4.5(-6) mm 
long, solitary, occasionally in pairs, pubcrulous; basal peduncular bracts ovate, slightly concave, 
acute. Flower-heads globular, 3.5-4.5 mm diam., 15-17-flowered. Bracieoles spalhulate to 
obovate-spathulatc, blade ovale to lanceolate, pubcrulous, ciliolate. Flowers 5-merous. Sepals less 
than half to about half as long as petals, 1/3-1/2-umtcd, oblong, ciliolate. Petals narrowly elliptic, 
acute, free, glabrous. Ovary densely white pilose. Legumes linear, raised over but not constricted 
between seeds, 40-60 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, thin-chartaceous, strongly curved, smooth, glabrous, 
resinous. Seeds longitudinal, oblong, compressed, 4-5.5 mm long, 1.8-2. 3 mm wide, dull 
dark-brown; plcurogram narrowly oblong, 2/3 seed length; aril membranous, apical, more than half 
as long as seed. 
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve, J. Brown 
JBr59 & A. Williams (CANB, G, K, MEL, NSW, NY, PERTH), S.D. Hopper 6395, 6396, 6397, 
6398, 6399, 6400, 6401, 6402, 6403, 6404 and 6417 (all PERTH), AS. Weston 14262 (AD, BRI, 
PERTH), 14547 (AD, BRI, PERTH). 
Distribution. South-west Western Australia in the north eastern part of the Avon Botanical District 
(1: 250 000 map H50-12). Known only from Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve. 
Habitat. Common on gritty loam and sand on gradual slopes in woodland and low scrub in 
association with Eucalyptus spp., Melaleuca spp. and Oxylobium parviflorum. Also occurs 
occasionally in clayey soils in woodland dominated by E. wandoo. 
Flowering and fruiting periods. Flowering specimens have been collected in July; specimens with 
mature legumes have been collected in November. 
Affinities. Acacia lobulata is the only species of Acacia in Australia which has terete phyllodes 
with reticulate nervalure. It is most closely related to A. verricula which has flat, rcticulatc-nerved 
phyllodes. From it the new species differs, in addition to phyllode form, in having solitary flower 
heads without any evidence of a reliclual axis, fewer flowers per head, and partially united calyx but 
quite similar fruits, seeds and basal peduncular bracts. 
Morphology. The most notable characteristic of 4. lobulata is the impressed nel-nervature of die 
phyllodes with the arcolcs raised, giving the phyllodes a regular cobblestone appearance or, perhaps 
better, the appearance of a slender sausage in a loo-small net. The nerves arc all of about the same 
degree of distinctness and there are no midnerves or laterals as is often seen in the Plurinerves. 
Conservation status. 2RC[K] using the criteria of Briggs & Leigh (1988). 
Etymology. The name is chosen to call attention to the most striking feature of the new species, the 
surface of the phyllodes. 
8. Acacia spongolitica Cowan & Maslin, sp. nov. (Figure 2, G-I) 
Frutex 1-2 m altus, cortice cinerco, ramulis versus apieem compressis, resinosis, saepe plus 
minusve minute glanduloso-puberulis. Stipulae caducac, anguste triangulares, circa 0.25 mm 
longae. Phyllodia lineari- ad oblongo-elliptica, complanala, obtusa ad acuta, apiculata, pulvino 
