Common name: swamp wattle
Acacia elongata Sieber ex DC. APNI* Synonyms: Acacia elongata var. dilatata Maiden & Blakely APNI*
Racosperma elongatum (Sieber ex DC.) Pedley APNI*
Acacia decipiens var. elongata Benth. APNI*
Acacia elongata var. hebecephala Benth. APNI*
Acacia elongata var. typica Domin APNI*
Description: Erect or spreading shrub 0.5–4 m high; branchlets angled becoming terete, with yellow ridges, minutely ± appressed-hairy to ± glabrous.
Phyllodes ± rigid, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, straight to slightly curved, usually 5–16 cm long and 2–4 mm wide (ranges: 4–17 cm long, 1–7 mm wide), sparsely hairy to glabrous, mostly 3 longitudinal veins prominent, with or without minor longitudinal veins and infrequent anastomoses between, apex acute or obtuse with a mucro; 1 small gland near base; pulvinus < 2 mm long.
Inflorescences 1–3 or rarely up to 7 on an axillary axis 1–15 mm long, or appearing simple in axil of phyllodes; peduncles 3–15 mm long, minutely white-hairy; heads globose, 20–42-flowered, 5–10 mm diam., yellow to bright yellow.
Pods ± straight, ± flat but raised over seeds, straight-sided or variably constricted between some seeds, 3–11.5 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, thinly leathery to firmly papery and brittle, with sparse appressed hairs, glabrescent; seeds longitudinal; funicle expanded towards seed.
Flowering: July–October.
Distribution and occurrence: south from Woodburn. Grows in heath and eucalypt communities in sandy soil.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Vic.
The name refers to the narrow, elongated phyllodes. Acacia elongata var. dilatata Maiden & Blakely is sometimes recognized; distinguished by phyllodes gradually expanded towards the apex, 4-7 mm wide, with 3 or 4 longitudinal veins and apex is rounded- or truncate-obtuse with a mucro. A taller and more erect growing plant with more densely hairy peduncles has been collected in the lower Blue Mountains and Swan Bay (Port Stephens) areas.
Text by P.G. Kodela (last update May 2012)
Taxon concept: P.G. Kodela & G.J. Harden, Flora of NSW Vol. 2 (2002)
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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