No. 225. 
Acacia brachystachya Benth. 
(also A. ramulosa W. V. Fitzgerald, a Western Australian species.) 
Two Narrow-leaved Mulgas. 
(Family LEGUMINOSyE : MIMOSE^E.) 
So much confusion has arisen concerning A. brachystachyaRenih., an imperfectly 
known New South Wales species, that it has been found necessary to undertake an 
enquiry in regard to it. It has been found requisite to disentangle it from the equally 
imperfectly known Western Australian A. ramulosa W. V. Fitzgerald, and, since the 
bearings of the one cannot be understood without reference to the other, a detailed 
study of both has been given. I return thanks to Miss Flockton and to Mr. W. F. Blakely 
for their valuable assistance. 
Botanical description. Genus, Acacia. (See Part XV, p. 103.) 
liotanical description. Species, A. brachystachya Bentham in B. Fl. ii, 403 (1864). 
Very near A. aneura and perhaps a short-spiked variety, slightly glaucous or hoary, but without 
visible pubescence. Phyttodia linear-subulate, slightly compressed, rigid but not pungent, very finely 
striate, with numerous nerves scarcely visible without a lens. Spikes sessile or very shortly pedunculate, 
ovoid or oblong, 2 to 3 lines long. Flowers mostly 5-merous. Sepals very narrow, linear-spathulate. 
Petals smooth, often minutely pubescent. Pod unknown. 
Bentham recognises variation in this species, for in placing it under the 
Stenophyllse Section of the Juliflorae, he puts it in both " Spikes sessile " and " Spikes 
pedunculate," adding that the spikes may be "ovoid or oblong." (B. Fl. ii, 316.) 
The podjwas unknown to him. 
Synonyms 
1. A. aneura F.v.M. (?) stenocarpa Benth. 
This is denned with a narrow-turgid pod, seeds longitudinal, with the funicle 
much more dilated and folded. (B. Fl. ii, 413.) 
The type came from Barrier Range, Victorian Expedition (i.e., in search of 
Burke and Wills), i.e., somewhere in the vicinity of Broken Hill, N.S.W. 
I have received specimens of phyllodes and pods from Prof. Ewart labelled 
" Yunyunga Mts. Viet. Exped." evidently a co-type. While somewhat turgid the 
pods are slightly twisted and two of them are flattish. 
