Acacia adjutrices, commonly known as convivial wattle,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a few places in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, multi-stemmed shrub with thin stems, mostly linear, ascending to erect phyllodes, flowers arranged in up to 4 spherical heads of golden yellow flowers, and crust-like, linear to narrowly oblong pods.
| Acacia adjutrices | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Clade: | Mimosoid clade |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. adjutrices
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| Binomial name | |
| Acacia adjutrices | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editAcacia adjutrices is a multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–70 cm (12–28 in) high. Its phyllodes are mostly ascending to erect, glabrous, linear, 50–150 mm (2.0–5.9 in) long and usually 0.8–2 mm (0.031–0.079 in) wide with a prominent mid-rib. Sometimes a few bipinnate leaves are present at the base of the plant. The flowers are arranged in spherical heads on peduncles 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long, each heads containing 11 to 19 golden-yellow flowers. Flowering occurs in July and August and the pods are crust-like, straight and linear to narrowly oblong, 30–60 mm (1.2–2.4 in) long and 4.0–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) wide containing shiny black seeds 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long with an aril on the end.[3][4]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first formally described in 1999 by Bruce Maslin who gave it the name Acacia insolita subsp. efoliata in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected near the Pingelly Microwave Repeater Station in 1981.[5][6] In 2014, Maslin raised the subspecies to species status as Acacia adjutrices in a later edition of the same journal.[7][8] The specific epithet (adjutrices) means "a female helper", referring to Susan (Sue) Carroll, Meriel Falconer, Evelyn McGough and Kaye Veryard, for their work in herbarium databases.[8]
Distribution and habitat
editConvivial wattle grows on laterite hills in sandplain scrub, usually with Eucalyptus wandoo, in a few scattered location near Pingelly and Brookton in the Avon Wheatbelt and Jarrah Forest bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2][8]
Conservation status
editAcacia adjutrices is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[2] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Acacia adjutrices". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Acacia adjutrices". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ Maslin, Bruce R. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Acacia adjutrices". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Acacia adjutrices Maslin". Wattle - Acacias of Australia. Lucid Central. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- ^ "Acacia insolita subsp. efoliata". APNI. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Maslin, Bruce R. (1999). "Acacia miscellany 16. The taxonomy of fifty-five species of Acacia, primarily Western Australian, in section Phyllodineae (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae)". Nuytsia. 12 (3): 362. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Acacia adjutrices". APNI. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Maslin, Bruce R. (1999). "Miscellaneous new species of Acacia (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) from south-west Western Australia". Nuytsia. 24 (3): 139–142. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 8 May 2024.