Acacia amputata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched, spreading shrub with spiny branchlets, small bipinnate leaves, light golden flowers arranged in spherical heads of 10 to 20, and wavy or coiled pods up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long.
| Acacia amputata | |
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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. amputata
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| Binomial name | |
| Acacia amputata | |
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editAcacia amputata is a much-branched, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–60 cm (12–24 in) and often has pinkish-brown branches, the branchlets spiny. The leaves are small with 1 pair of leaflets 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long each with 2 to 4 glaucous pinnules 1–2.5 mm (0.039–0.098 in) long and 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) wide. The flowers are borne in spherical heads on a peduncle 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long of 10 to 20 light golden flowers. Flowering occurs from July to September and the pods are wavy or coiled, thinly crust-like, glabrous, up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide. The seeds are brown, mottled black, broadly elliptic and about 2 mm (0.079 in).[2][3][4][5]
Taxonomy
editIn 1975, Bruce Maslin described Acacia pulchella var. subsessilis in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Charles Gardner near Kukerin in 1934.[6][7] In 1999, Maslin raised the variety to species status as Acacia amputata in a later edition of Nuytsia.[8][9] The specific epithet (amputata) means 'to cut away, lop off, or shorten', referring to the short peduncles.[9]
Distribution
editThis species of Acacia grows in loan and sand in shrubland between Brookton, Narrogin, Frank Hann National Park and Boxwood Hill in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2][5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Acacia amputata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ a b Maslin, Bruce R. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Acacia amputata". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Acacia amputata Maslin". Wattle - Acacias of Australia. Lucid Central. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "Acacia amputata". World Wide Wattle. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Acacia amputata". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Acacia pulchella var. subsessilis". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Maslin, Bruce R. (1975). "Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) - 4 A Revision of Series Pulchellae". Nuytsia. 1 (5): 406–407. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Acacia amputata". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ a b Maslin, Bruce R. (1999). "Acacia amputata, a new Western Australian species in section Pulchellae (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae)". Nuytsia. 12 (3): 493. Retrieved 18 July 2024.