Acacia caesaneura

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Western blue mulga
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Acacia
Species:
A. caesaneura
Binomial name
Acacia caesaneura
Acacia caesaneuraDistMap148.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
  • Acacia aneura var. argentea Pedley nom. inval.
  • Acacia aneura var. argenteaPedley
  • Racosperma aneurum var. argenteum(Pedley) Pedley

Acacia caesaneura, commonly known as western blue mulga, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is a multi-stemmed shrub with a silvery bluish grey crown, mostly narrowly oblong to elliptic phyllodes, cylindrical spikes of golden yellow flowers, and winged, firmly papery pods.

Contents

Description

Acacia caesaneura is a multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows to a height of 3–8 m (9.8–26.2 ft), growing to a cone-shape with a dense, bluish-grey or grey-green crown. The branchlets are densely covered with soft hairs. Its phyllodes are variably shaped, mostly straight, often narrowly oblong to elliptic and not rigid, mostly 30–70 m (98–230 ft) long and 2.5–10 mm (0.098–0.394 in) wide with many veins. The flowers are borne in cylindrical spike 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long on peduncles 2–10 mm (0.079–0.394 in) long. Flowering has been recorded in March, July, August, October and November, and the pods are oblong, 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide with wings, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide. The seeds are 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide with a small, whitish aril. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Acacia caesaneura was first formally described in 2012 by Bruce Maslin and Jordan E. Reid near the Paynes Find to Sandstone road in 2007. [3] [5] The specific epithet (caesaneura) means 'blue-grey', referring to the phyllodes. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Western blue mulga is found on plains or in undulating country in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Gascoyne, Great Victoria Desert, Murchison, Nullarbor and Yalgoo bioregions of inland Western Australia where it grows on red-brown sandy loam to clay soils, sometimes over hardpan in shrubland or woodland communities. [7] The bulk of the population is found from around Yalgoo in the west to around Meekatharra in the north down to around Kalgoorlie in the south extending to around the northern edge of the Nullarbor Plain in the east. [4]

Conservation status

Acacia caesaneura is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. [7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Acacia caesaneura". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 Maslin, Bruce R. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Acacia caesaneura". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 Maslin, Bruce R.; Reid, Jordan E. (2012). "A taxonomic revision of Mulga (Acacia aneura and its close relatives: Fabaceae) in Western Australia". Nuytsia. 22 (4): 190–198. doi:10.58828/nuy00604 . Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Acacia caesaneura Maslin & J.E.Reid". Wattle - Acacias of Australia. Lucid Central. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Acacia caesaneura". APNI. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  6. ↑ George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 154. ISBN   9780958034197.
  7. 1 2 "Acacia caesaneura". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
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