Common name: box-leaf wattle
Acacia buxifolia A.Cunn. APNI* Synonyms: Racosperma buxifolium (A.Cunn.) Pedley APNI*
Description: Erect or spreading shrub 1–4 m high; branchlets angled or flattened, glabrous.
Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic or obovate, ± straight, 1–4.5 cm long, 2–11 mm wide, glabrous or a few marginal hairs near base, green to glaucous, midvein not prominent, lateral veins obscure or not evident, apex acute to obtuse with a mucro; glands absent or 1 small gland 3–10 mm above pulvinus, sometimes a second gland; pulvinus c. 1 mm long.
Inflorescences 2–14 in an axillary raceme; axis 0.5–8 cm long (usually to 4.5 cm long, but occasionally to 6 cm long in subsp. buxifolia and 8 cm in subsp. pubiflora); peduncles 2–5 mm long, usually glabrous; heads globose, 7–29-flowered, 4.5–7 mm diam., bright yellow.
Pods straight to strongly curved, ± flat, ± straight-sided to irregularly and variably constricted between seeds, 3–7 cm long, 5–8 mm wide, firmly papery to thinly leathery, glabrous, sometimes pruinose; seeds longitudinal; funicle expanded towards seed.
Flowering: July–November.
Distribution and occurrence: widespread but especially common on the Slopes. Grows in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath, often on rocky outcrops.
NSW subdivisions: ?CC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
Closely related to Acacia lunata and A. leucolobia with all 3 species appearing to come together in the Blue Mtns where it is often difficult to tell them apart. A. neglecta which was based, in part, on Blue Mtns specimens may represent intermediate forms. In general, subsp. buxifolia (excluding Blue Mtns populations) is generally distinguished from A. leucoloba by its narrower, more elongate, acute to subacute phyllodes which have a ± straight upper margin and non-pruinose branchlets and racemes. The A. buxfolia complex requires further investigation, especially in the Capertee-Blackheath area and upper Hunter Valley.
Text by P.G. Kodela
Taxon concept: P.G. Kodela & G.J. Harden (2002)
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Phyllodes usually 1–3 cm long (2–8 wide), with ± acute apex, gland often absent from some phyllodes; heads 7–12-flowered; calyx glabrous or with hairs; petals ± glabrous. | subsp. buxifolia |
| Phyllodes mostly 1.5–4.5 cm long (to 11 mm wide), with obtuse apex, gland always present, sometimes 2; heads 17–29-flowered; calyx with hairs; petals often with hairs towards apex and sides. | subsp. pubiflora |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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