B.R. Maslin, Acacia Miscellany — 4 
227 
3-7-nerved per face, nerves distant, brownish and slighdy impressed when dry, uniformly obscure 
(scarsely visible when fresh) or 2 per face yellowish and more pronounced than the rest, lateral 
nerves absent; apices sub-uncinate, rounded or occasionally obliquely truncate, excentrically 
rostellatc; pulvinus c. 0.5 mm long, yellow or orange-brown and slighdy transversely rugose when 
dry. Gland situated on upper margin of phyllodc at distal end of pulvinus, circular or elliptic, c. 0.5 
mm long, apices eglandulose. Racemes resinous, (l-)2-headcd; raceme axes 2-3 mm long, 
compressed, shallowly channelled above, sparsely apprcssed-puberulous, hairs white or golden, 
base ebracteate, terminated by a vegetative bud. Peduncles 5-7 mm long, sparsely to moderately 
appressed-puberulous, hairs white or pale golden and commonly enveloped in resin; basal 
peduncular bract persistent, triangular-ovate, c. 0.5 mm long, light brown. Flower-heads globular, 
cream to very pale lemon yellow, 10 mm diam. (fresh), 4.5-7 mm diam. (dry), 20-flowered, 
resinous. Bracteoles spathulatc, 1 mm long; claws linear, glabrous; laminae ± ovate, acute, 
indexed, slighdy thickened, sparsely appressed-puberulous. Flowers 5-merous, resinous. Calyx 
membranous, c. half length of corolla, gamoscpalous, variably dissected to c. half its length into 
oblong or triangular, sparsely appressed-puberulous lobes, calyx tube glabrous. Petals 1.5-2 mm 
long, joined for 1/2-2/3 their length, glabrous or sparsely appressed-puberulous, obscurely 
1-ncrved. Legumes linear, to 8 cm long, 4.5-6 mm wide, firmly chartaceous, ± straight to slightly 
curved, slightly undulate, rounded on opposite sides over alternate seeds, slightly resinous, light 
brown to mid-brown, villous or puberulous, hairs rather sparse with age. Seeds (few seen) 
longitudinal to longitudinally oblique in the legume, oblong-elliptic to oblong-ovate, mostly c. 3.5 
mm long and 2 mm wide (perhaps slightly immature) but one measuring 5 mm long and 3 mm 
wide, tan, dull (small seeds) or sub-shiny (large seeds); pleurogram obscure; areole open towards 
the hilum, 1 mm long (small seeds) or 2 mm long (large seeds), 0.4-0.5 mm wide ;funicle filiform, 
c. 1 mm long, expanded rather abruptly into a clavatc, presumably white (commonly 
yellowish-brown when dry) aril extending c. 1/3 seed lengLh. 
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Jilakin Rock, 2 May 1986, K.J. Atkins s.n. 
(PERTH); Mt Caroline, 15 May 1961, W.H. Butler s.n. (PERTH); Kellerberrin Hill, 2 July 1936, 
C.A. Gardner s.n. (PERTH); Mooranoppin Rock, C.A. Gardner 13887 (PERTH); Mt Caroline 
5 April 1986, J. Kinnear s.n. (PERTH); Kellerberrin, September 1897, R.B. Leake , (PERTH); 
Jilakin Rock, 24 October 1959 and 10 August 1960, C.V. Malcolm s.n. (both PERTH); 8 km NE of 
Kellerberrin on "Shark Mouth" Rd, B.R. Maslin 589 (BRI, PERTH) and B.R. Maslin 589A (MEL, 
NSW, PERTH); Mt Caroline (eastern slope), B.R. Maslin 601 5A (PERTH). 
Distribution and habitat. South-west Western Australia in the Avon Botanical District (1:250,000 
maps H50-15 and 150-03). Restricted to a few granite outcrops around Kellerberrin and Kulin. 
Besides the localities listed above, the species is also known from Nangeen Hill, south-east of 
Mt Caroline (B. Bromilow, pers. comm.). 
Flowering and fruiting period. Flowers April — July. Legumes (slightly immature) in October. 
Affinities. Related to the eastern Australian species A. wilhelmiana which is most readily 
distinguished by its flower heads goldencolourcd, peduncle indumentum denser and more 
conspicuous, phyllodes usually shorter (1-3 cm long, rarely a few to 6.5 cm), gland 1-2 mm above 
pulvinus and legumes 2-3 mm wide and glabrous. 
Conservation status. 3R using the criteria of Briggs & Leigh (1988). 
Etymology. Named in honour of Richard Cowan in recognition of his major contribution to 
botanical bibliography through co-authorship (with F. Stafleu) of "Taxonomic Literature II" and in 
appreciation of the enjoyable collaboration since 1987 on the study of Australian acacias. 
