Acacia mutabilis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a shrub with variably shaped, but often linear to lance-shaped phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, spherical heads of golden yellow flowers and thinly leathery curved or coiled pods.
Acacia mutabilis is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–2m (1ft 0in– 6ft 7in) with glabrous branchlets or covered with minute hairs, pressed against the surface. The phyllodes are variably shaped, but often linear to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, straight to curved, flat to subterete or four-sided in cross-section, 15–55mm (0.59–2.17in) long, 1–8mm (0.039–0.315in) wide, green to grey-green with five veins and one prominent vein on each face and leathery. There is a gland1–15mm (0.039–0.591in) above the pulvinus and sometimes stipules at the base. The flowers are borne in two spherical heads in axils on peduncles3–18mm (0.12–0.71in) long, each head 4–5mm (0.16–0.20in) in diameter with 16 to 32 golden yellow flowers. Flowering occurs from August to October, and the pods are curved to coiled, more or less terete, up to 70mm (2.8in) long, 2–3mm (0.079–0.118in) wide, thinly leathery black, glabrous, and sometimes constricted between the seeds. [2][3][4]
Taxonomy
Acacia mutabilis was first formally described in 1999 by Bruce Maslin in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected east of Scaddan in 1970.[2][5] The specific epithet (mutabilis) means 'changeable', referring to the great variation in the species.[2][6]
In the same journal, Maslin described five subspecies of A.mutabilis, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
Acacia mutabilis subsp. angustifoliaMaslin[7] has phyllodes 1–2mm (0.039–0.079in) wide, subterete to five sided in cross-section, and rarely flat.[2][4][8][9]
Acacia mutabilis subsp. incurvaMaslin[10] has phyllodes with a pointed or rounded end, often narrowed at the end, and distinctly incurved, 3–6mm (0.12–0.24in) long and a gland 1–5mm (0.039–0.197in) above the pulvinus.[2][4][11][12]
Acacia mutabilisMaslin subsp. mutabilis[13] has phyllodes with a pointed or rounded end, straight to shallowly curved, or if shallowly curved then gland further from the pulvinus and/or longer peduncles, the stipules fallen early.[2][4][14][15]
Acacia mutabilis subsp. rhynchophyllaMaslin[16] has phyllodes 4–8mm (0.16–0.31in) wide with a rounded end, and a beak-shaped point on the side.[2][4][17][18]
Acacia mutabilis subsp. stipuliferaMaslin[19] has phyllodes with a pointed or rounded end, straight to shallowly curved, or if shallowly curved then gland further from the pulvinus and/or longer peduncles, and stipules 2–3mm (0.079–0.118in) long and 0.5–0.7mm (0.020–0.028in) wide.[2][4][20][21]
Subspecies angustifolia grows in loam or sand with clay, in low woodland or open mallee in scattered locations within 100km (62mi) of the coast, between Jerramungup and far western South Australia, near Eucla.[8][9][23]
Subspecies mutabilis grows in sand, sandy clay, clay, loam and sandy loam in heath, open scrub or tree mallee and as an understorey in open woodland, often near salt lakes or marshes from the Kondinin–Borden area to Cape Arid National Park in thesouth-west of Western Australia.[14][15][25]
Subspecies angustifolia and mutabilis are listed as 'Not threatened',[23][25] but subsp. incurva is listed as 'Priority Two' by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[24] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations,[28] and subsp. rhynchophylla and stipulifera are listed as 'Priority Three',[26][27] meaning that they are poorly known and known from only a few locations but are not under imminent threat.[28]
↑Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
↑"Acacia mutabilis". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
↑George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rded.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p.265. ISBN9780958034180.
12Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis subsp. angustifolia". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
12Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis subsp. incurva". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
12Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis subsp. mutabilis". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
12Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis subsp. rhynchophylla". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
12Maslin, Bruce R.; Kodela, Phillip G. "Acacia mutabilis subsp. stipulifera". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
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