Common name: manna wattle
Acacia microcarpa F.Muell. APNI* Synonyms: Acacia subretusa Maiden & Blakely APNI*
Description: Erect or spreading shrub 1–3 m high; bark finely fissured, grey; branchlets angled or flattened towards apices, glabrous.
Phyllodes ± oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, ± straight to slightly curved, 2–7 cm long, usually 3–7 mm wide, glabrous, midvein prominent, lateral veins obscure or not evident, apex obtuse and sometimes with a mucro; 1 inconspicuous gland 3–20 mm above pulvinus (near or below middle of phyllode), another gland at apex; pulvinus < 2 mm long.
Inflorescences 2 or sometimes up to 4 on an obscure axillary axis < 1 mm long, often appearing ± simple; peduncles 5–12 mm long, glabrous; heads globose, 14–25-flowered, 5–7 mm diam., bright yellow.
Pods slightly to strongly curved, sometimes twisted when open, raised over and slightly constricted between seeds, 3–8 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, firmly papery, glabrous; seeds longitudinal; funicle filiform.
Flowering: August–November.
Distribution and occurrence: chiefly from the West Wyalong-Rankin Springs-Goolgowi area and from Mallee Cliffs National Park to Trentham Cliffs near Mildura. Grows in mallee, in red sands and sandy loams.
NSW subdivisions: CWS, SWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. S.A.
The name refers to the small seeds of the species. May be confused with Acacia halliana.
Text by P.G. Kodela Taxon concept: P.G. Kodela & G.J. Harden, Flora of NSW Vol. 2 (2002)
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