Acacia acanthoclada
Encyclopedia
Acacia acanthoclada is a low, divaricate, highly branched and spinescent shrub
endemic to Australia
.
The golden-yellow flowerheads are peduncle
s, 5–15 cm long, that appear at phyllode axils. Flower parts are pentamerous, with the sepals fused into a synsepal
ous calyx. Flowers appear from August to October, followed by irregularly twisted, glaucous, brown seed pods which are 3 to 6 cm long and 3 to 6 mm wide.
Its occurs naturally in Western Australia
, South Australia
and Victoria
and is listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act in New South Wales
.
The type was collected near Kulkyne, Victoria by Ferdinand von Mueller
.
, Wentworth
and Pooncarie
districts in far south-western New South Wales
, Victoria
, South Australia
and Arumpo Station and Montarna Station in Western Australia
. Arumpo Station in particular is home to a stunted sample, which is threantened by overgrazing
by kangaroo
s.
areas, often on ridges and dune
s, and more rarely on rock outcrops.
Associated species:
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Description
It grows up to 2 metres high and has phyllodes which measure 0.2 to 0.6 cm long and 1 to 2 mm wide. The phyllodes are straight, narrow-cuneate, slightly notched at the apex, and feature prominent midveins. Branchlets are terete, whitish and densely pubescent; as the branch grows it becomes glabrous and terminates in rigid spinose point. The bark is grey, white or occasionally greenish.The golden-yellow flowerheads are peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
s, 5–15 cm long, that appear at phyllode axils. Flower parts are pentamerous, with the sepals fused into a synsepal
Synsepal
A synsepal is a floral structure formed by the partial or complete fusion of two or more sepals. Such sepals are said to be gamosepalous....
ous calyx. Flowers appear from August to October, followed by irregularly twisted, glaucous, brown seed pods which are 3 to 6 cm long and 3 to 6 mm wide.
Its occurs naturally in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and is listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The type was collected near Kulkyne, Victoria by Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
.
Distribution
The species is relatively uncommon and is found scattered at several sites in isolated clumps: BurongaBuronga, New South Wales
Buronga is a town in New South Wales, Australia on the Murray River. The George Chaffey Bridge connects Buronga with Mildura, Victoria. In 2006, the town had a population of 807 people.-Buronga Today:...
, Wentworth
Wentworth, New South Wales
Wentworth is a small border town in the far south west of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It lies at the confluence of Australia's two most important rivers, the Darling and the Murray, the latter forming the border with the state of Victoria to the south. The border with the state of...
and Pooncarie
Pooncarie, New South Wales
Pooncarie is a village in south-western New South Wales, Australia in Wentworth Shire. It is on the eastern side of the Darling River between Wentworth and Menindee...
districts in far south-western New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Arumpo Station and Montarna Station in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Arumpo Station in particular is home to a stunted sample, which is threantened by overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
by kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s.
Habitat
This species usually grows on deep, loose, sandy soil. Its inhabits undisturbed malleeMallee Woodlands and Shrublands
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands is a Major Vegetation Group which occurs in semi-arid areas of southern Australia. The vegetation is dominated by mallee eucalypts which are rarely over 6 metres high...
areas, often on ridges and dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s, and more rarely on rock outcrops.
See also
Associated species:
- Eucalyptus dumosaEucalyptus dumosaEucalyptus dumosa, White Mallee is a mallee of the relatively dry country of South Australia from the northern Flinders Ranges and Murray Mallee eastwards to central western New South Wales and north western Victoria...
- Eucalyptus socialis
- Eucalyptus gracilis
- Eucalyptus costata
- Callitris verrucosaCallitris verrucosaCallitris verrucosa is a species of conifer in the Cupressaceae family.It is found only in Australia.-References:* Conifer Specialist Group 1998. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
- Codonocarpus cotinifolius
- Triodia scariosa