B.R. Maslin, Acacia Miscellany — 4 
225 
species A. abrupta. Both species are glabrous, resinous shrubs. Acacia abrupta is readily 
distinguished from the new species in the following ways: phyllode nerves lacking ridges of 
translucent, viscid material; gland present at base of phyllode as well as the apex; sepals united for 
c. 2/3 their length; legumes 2.5-3 mm wide, arcuate, biconvex, shallowly constricted between seeds, 
longitudinally reticulate. 
Conservation status. 2RC using the criteria of Briggs & Leigh (1988). The species is locally 
abundant in suitable habitats within the Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve. 
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the characteristic phyllode orientation. 
Acacia brachypoda Maslin, sp. nov. 
Frutic.es densi leviter resinosi-aromatici ad 2 m alti. Ramuli glabri, nervis latis, lulcis vel 
viridibus. Phyllodia teretia ad plana, 2-5 cm longa, 1 mm lata, oblique truncata et excentrice 
mucronulata, viridia, glabra, obscure 4-ncrvata, 1-ncrvata ubi plana, pulvino minuto sed distincta, 
glandc obscura, circa 0.5 mm supra pulvinum, phyllodiorum apicibus eglandulosis. Pedunculi 2-3 
mm longi, 2 in quoque axilla, aliquando in racemo ad 1 mm longo, appresso-puberuli, bractea basali 
lutea, capitulis globularibus, aureis, 8- vel 9-floribus. Flores pentameri, calycc gamoscpalo, petalis 
uninervalis. Legumina arcuata et undulata ad irregulariter circinnata vel non arcuata, ad 8 cm longa, 
7-8 mm lata, tenuiter coriaceo-crustacea. Semina longitudinalia, oblonga ad oblongo-ovata, 4 mm 
longa, arillo crasso. 
Typus. 13.5 km N of Brookton on the road to Beverley, Western Australia, 26 May 1976, 
B.R. Maslin 4088 (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, NY). 
Dense, round, slightly aromatic shrubs to 2 m tall, dividing near ground level into many 
spreading to erect stems. Bark fissured at base of old stems otherwise smooth and grey except 
upper branches which are often brownish. New shoots resinous, slightly viscid, pale green. 
Branchlels glabrous, terete except angled at extremities, roughened by raised stem-projections 
where phyllodes have fallen, marked with broad (0.3-0.4 mm wide) flat, shiny nerves, at branchlet 
apices the nerves green (drying yellow) and close together, with age turning brown, widely spaced 
and more prominent. Stipules caducous, triangular, minute, 0.3-0.5 mm long, thick. Phyllodes 
terete, sub-terete or flat, 2-5 cm long, 0.7-1 mm wide, finely longitudinally sulcate when dry, patent 
to inclined or ascending to erect, straight to shallowly incurved, slightly shiny, glabrous, green; 
4-nerved, 1 -nerved per face when flat, nerves impressed and obscure, brownish when dry, 
sometimes overlaid by an irregular narrow ridge of translucent resin; apices not uncinate, obliquely 
truncate, ending in a very short, acute, excentric mucro; pulvinus very reduced, 0.2-0.5 mm long, 
narrower than phyllode width, yellowish. Gland not prominent, situated on a slight, rounded angle 
c. 0.5 mm above pulvinus, apices eglandulose. Inflorescence parts resinous, not viscid. Peduncles 
2-3 mm long, 2 per node with a vegetative bud (enveloped by resin) arising from within their angle, 
sometimes inserted on an extremely short raceme to 1 mm long, antrorscly appressed puberulous, 
hairs while and partially or wholly enveloped by resin; basal peduncular bract solitary, persistent, 
triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, somewhat thickened, yellow. Flower-heads prolific, globular, resinous, 
mid-golden, 8- or 9-flowered. Bracteoles sub-sessile; laminae triangular-ovate, c. 0.5 mm long and 
the same across, resinous, slightly auriculate at base, sparsely appressed puberulous abaxially, hairs 
light golden. Flowers slightly resinous, 5-merous. Calyx c. half length of corolla, gamosepalous, 
turbinate, shortly divided into broadly triangular lobes; calyx tube ± obscurely 5-nerved, antrorsely 
appresscd-puberulous, hairs white on lower half, light golden on upper half. Petals c. 2.5 mm long, 
free, sparsely appressed-puberulous (hairs obscured by resin), midribs rather prominent. Legumes 
(mostly dehisced) to c. 8 cm long (expanded length), 7-8 mm wide, narrowly oblong, curved and/or 
undulate to irregularly circinnate, valves commonly irregularly coiled and twisted following 
dehiscence, not or scarcely constricted between seeds and somewhat raised over them, firmly 
chartaceous to thinly coriaceous-crustaceous, resinous, glabrous, mid-brown. Seeds (few seen) 
longitudinal in the legume, oblong to oblong-ovate, 4 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, compressed (1-1.5 
mm thick), dark brown, moderately shiny, pleurogram obscure; areole elongated "U"-shaped, open 
