| Marramamba | |
|---|---|
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. marramamba |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia marramamba | |
 | |
Acacia marramamba, commonly known as marramamba, [1] is a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to arid parts of western Australia.
The bushy spinescent shrub or tree typically grows to a height of 1.0 to 3.0 metres (3.3 to 9.8 ft). [2] It has grey coloured bark that is mostly smooth but becomes fissured and fibrous near the base of the tree. It has glabrous red-brown to light brown or orange coloured branchlets with vivid light green new shoots and shiny stipules that are 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) in length. Like most species of Acacia it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. The asymmetric and evergreen leathery phyllodes are a pale milk green to blue-green colour and have a rounded upper margin and almost straight lower margin with a length of 2 to 5 cm (0.79 to 1.97 in) and a width of 9 to 23 mm (0.35 to 0.91 in). The phyllodes have a main longitudinal nerve and form a needle-sharp point with a length of 1 to 3 mm (0.039 to 0.118 in) at the tip. [1] It produces red and yellow flowers from May to July. [2]
The species was first formally described by the botanist Bruce Maslin in 1982 as part of the work Studies in the genus Acacia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). Acacia species of the Hamersley Range area, Western Australia as published in the journal Nuytsia . It was reclassified as Racosperma marramamba by Leslie Pedley in 2003 then transferred back to genus Acacia in 2006. [3] The specific epithet is derived from the area where it is found in the Pilbara in the Marra Mamba Iron Formation. [1]
It is native to an area in the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Goldfields regions of Western Australia where it is often situated on rocky hillslopes growing in gravelly and stony skeletal soils often over or around ironstone. [2] It has a scattered distribution with the bulk of the population in the Pilbara from around Duck Creek Station in the north west to Balfour Downs Station to the north east it is also found in the Barlee Range and upper catchments of the Gascoyne, Ashburton and Murchison Rivers and down to around Mount Fraser in the south. It does not form dense populations it is generally not uncommon throughout its range. It is usually a part of open woodland communities dominated by Eucalyptus leucophloia or tall open shrubland communities where it is associated with Acacia aneura , Acacia sibirica and Acacia maitlandii with a spinifex understorey. [1]
Acacia atkinsiana, commonly known as Atkin's wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae endemic to Australia. The indigenous peoples of the area where the shrub is found, the Kurrama peoples, know the shrub as Bilari or Pilarri.
Acacia bromilowiana, commonly known as Bromilow's wattle, is a tree belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to a small part of north western Australia.
Acacia effusa is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to north western Australia.
Acacia hamersleyensis, also known as Karijini wattle or Hamersley Range wattle, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. It is endemic to a small area in central Western Australia.
Acacia macraneura, commonly known as big mac wattle, is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is native to arid parts of western Australia.
Acacia rhodophloia, commonly known as minni ritchi or western red mulga, is a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to a large area of arid central western Australia. The Indigenous group the Kurrama peoples know the plant as mantaru.
Acacia thoma is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to arid areas of western Australia.
Acacia minutissima is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to parts of western Australia.
Acacia robeorum, commonly known as Robe's wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to north western Australia.
Acacia ryaniana is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to an area along the west coast of Australia.
Acacia scalena is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to a small area in western Australia.
Acacia spathulifolia commonly known as Gold carpet or the Gold carpet wattle is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to coastal parts of western Australia.
Acacia anaticeps, also known as duck-headed wattle, is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves. It is native to arid areas of north western Australia.
Acacia anserina, also known as hairy sandstone wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves. It is native to a small area in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Acacia arrecta, commonly known as Yarnda Nyirra wattle or Fortescue wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to arid areas in north western Australia.
Acacia galeata is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to an area of western Australia.
Acacia roycei is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves endemic to an area of western Australia.
Acacia sibilans, commonly known as the whispering myall, is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves thar is endemic to an arid areas of central western Australia.
Acacia speckii is a shrub or tree of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Plurinerves that is endemic to a small area in central western Australia.
Acacia exilis, commonly known as muntalkura wattle, is a species of wattle belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae. The Kurrama peoples know the tree as jonanyong or jananyung. It is native to an area of the Pilbara region of Western Australia.