Acacia dealbata subsp. subalpina 
(Fabaceae: Mimosoideae), a new subspecies 
from south-eastern Australia 
319 
Phillip G. Kodela and Mary D. Tindale 
Abstract 
Kodela, Phillip G. ami Tindale, Mary D. (National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Mrs Macquarics Road, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia) 2001. Acacia dealbata subsp. subalpina (Fabaceae: 
Mimosoideae), a new subspecies from south-eastern Australia. Telopea 9(2): 319-322. Acacia dealbata 
subsp. subalpina (Acacia sect. Botrycephalae), is described from south-eastern New South Wales and 
northeastern Victoria. It occurs at higher altitudes of the tablelands, being distinguished from 
subsp. dealbata mainly by its smaller stature and leaves. 
Introduction 
Acacia dealbata Link is often characterised as a tree up to 30 m high, with bluish grey 
or silvery foliage. The bipinnate leaves are hairy with orbicular jugary glands. It occurs 
mainly on the tablelands (south from Guyra) and western slopes (south from Mudgee) 
of New South Wales, as well as being widespread in Victoria and eastern Tasmania. 
There are naturalised records from the Mount Lofty Range, South Australia, and 
south-western Western Australia. At higher altitudes (mainly above 700 m) in New 
South Wales and Victoria there is often a shrub to small tree form with smaller leaves; 
this is described here as subsp. subalpina. 
Taxonomy 
Acacia dealbata Link subsp. subalpina Tindale & Kodela, subsp. nov. 
Differt ab A. dealbata subsp. dealbata statura minore, arbusculae vel fruticis habitu ad 
5 m (raro 10 m) alto, foliis 1.5-8.5 cm longis, pinnis plerumque 0.5-2.5 mm longis, 
pinnulis 0.7-4 mm longis, capitulis saepe aureis et floribus in capitulo 13-34. 
Holotype: New South Wales: Southern Tablelands: Tinderry Mountains, 13.2 km by 
road ESE of Michelago, R.G. Coveny 6589, P.D. Hind & M. Parris, 2 Aug 1975 (NSW). 
Isotypes: A, AD, BRI, CANB, HO, K, MEL, MO, NE, NY, PERTH, UC, US, Z. 
Straggly or dense, sometimes several stemmed shrub 1-3 m high or small tree to 5 m 
high (rarely to 10 m high); bark smooth, grey, grey-green or brown, usually mottled by 
lichens; branches sometimes pendulous. Branchlcts slightly angular towards apices, 
becoming terete with low ridges, densely puberulous to pubescent with short and 
long white hairs (similar indumentum occurs on the leaves and inflorescence axes), 
glabrescent with age. Young foliage-tips white, cream-coloured or rarely yellowish. 
Leaves bipinnate, glaucous, bluish grey or silvery; petiole to 0.5 cm long, hairy; rhachis 
(0.8-) 1-8 cm long, hairy, with an orbicular, ± tomentose jugary gland (with a round 
aperture) at the base of each pair of pinnae, interjugary glands absent; pinnae (4-) 6-20 
(-22) pairs, 0.5-2.5 (-3) cm long (the lowermost pair of pinnae often smaller than others 
and sometimes only c. 0.3 cm long), hairy; pinnules (6-) 10-37 pairs, herbaceous. 
