Common name: spinebush
Acacia nyssophylla F.Muell. APNI* Synonyms: Acacia colletioides var. nyssophylla (F.Muell.) Benth. APNI*
Racosperma nyssophyllum (F.Muell.) Pedley APNI*
Description: Erect or spreading shrub to 3 m high; bark smooth or finely fissured, reddish brown becoming grey; branchlets ± terete, minutely hairy, glabrescent.
Phyllodes sessile, inserted on distinct, yellow stem projections, rigid, ± straight, subterete to compressed, mostly 1–2.5 cm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, glabrous or glabrescent, with numerous (± 20), close, obscure, longitudinal veins, apex pungent-pointed; 1 small gland along margin.
Inflorescences simple, commonly 2 in axil of phyllodes; peduncles mostly 2–5 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy; heads globose or rarely ellipsoid, 12–19-flowered, 3–5 mm diam., bright yellow.
Pods strongly curved or twisted, slightly constricted between seeds, 3–6 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, firmly papery, longitudinally wrinkled, with sparse minute appressed hairs to glabrous; seeds longitudinal; funicle expanded towards seed.
Flowering: usually July–November.
Distribution and occurrence: occurs in the extreme southwest of the State; probably uncommon in New South Wales. Grows in heath and mallee communities in sandy soil and on clay lake beds.
NSW subdivisions: SFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Name is from the Greek 'nysso' (to prick or pierce) and 'phyllon' (a leaf), which refers to the stiff and sharp-pointed phyllodes in this species. Acacia nyssophylla is similar to A. colletioides, which has about 8 veins in the phyllodes.
Text by P.G. Kodela (last edited 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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