Acacia ericksoniae

Acacia ericksoniae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Clade:	Mimosoid clade
Genus:	Acacia
Species:	A. ericksoniae
Binomial name
Acacia ericksoniae Maslin [1]
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
Acacia ericksoniiMaslin orth. var. Racosperma ericksoniae(Maslin) Pedley Acacia bidentataauct. non Benth.: Diels, F.L.E. & Pritzel, E.G. (6 December 1904)

Acacia ericksoniae is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a many-branched, more or less spreading shrub with hairy branchlets that are often spiny, triangular phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, spherical heads of golden yellow flowers, and coiled pods.

Description

Acacia ericksoniae is a many-branched, more or less spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in) and has more or less slender branchlets covered with tiny, rigid hairs and often spiny. The phyllodes are triangular with the narrower end towards the base, 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long and 1.5–4 mm (0.059–0.157 in) wide, the upper margin forming a prominent, rounded angle and the lower margin shallowly convex. The phyllodes have a short, sometimes sharp point on the ends and are covered with tiny, rigid hairs. The flowers are borne in a spherical head in axils more than 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long on a peduncle 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long, the heads 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) in diameter with 10 to 17 golden yellow flowers. Flowering occurs from June to September, and the pods are closely coiled, up to 8 mm (0.31 in) long and 2.0–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) wide, firmly papery to thinly leathery and red-brown. The seeds are 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long, brown mottled black, with a thick aril. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

Taxonomy

Acacia ericksoniae was first formally described in 1999 by Bruce Maslin in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected 5.5 km (3.4 mi) north of Wongan Hills towards Piawaning in 1976. ^{[2] [7]} The specific epithet (ericksoniae) honours "Mrs Frederika (Rca) Erickson, who has made a significant contribution to our knowledge of the Western Australian flora...". ^[2]

Distribution

This species of wattle grows on sandplain, scrub or woodland on low, rocky hills near Mingenew and Three Springs, from near Watheroo and south-south-east to near Tammin and in the Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve (about 100 km (62 mi) due east of Watheroo, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions of south-western Western Australia. ^[6]

Conservation status

Acacia ericksoniae is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. ^[6]

See also

• List of Acacia species

References

1. "Acacia ericksoniae". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
2. Maslin, Bruce R. (1999). "Acacia miscellany 16. The taxonomy of fifty-five species of Acacia, primarily Western Australian, in section Phyllodineae (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae)". Nuytsia. 12 (3): 343–345. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
3. Maslin, Bruce R. "Acacia ericksoniae". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
4. "Acacia ericksoniae". World Wide Wattle. Western Australian Herbarium . Retrieved 15 January 2019.
5. "Acacia ericksoniae". Australian Biological Resources Study. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
6. "Acacia ericksoniae". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
7. "Acacia ericksoniae". APNI. Retrieved 25 November 2025.