Acacia richardsii is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Juliflorae that is endemic to north western Australia.

Acacia richardsii

Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Acacia
Species:
A. richardsii
Binomial name
Acacia richardsii
Occurrence data from AVH

Description

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The bushy, rounded shrub typically grows to a height of 1.5 to 4 metres (5 to 13 ft).[1] It has glabrous and resin-ribbed branchlets that are angled towards the apices. Like most species of Acacia it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. The evergreen slightly asymmetric phyllodes have a narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic shape and a length of 1.7 to 4 cm (0.67 to 1.57 in) and a width of 4.5 to 9 mm (0.18 to 0.35 in). The phyllodes are quite thin, obtuse and subglaucous and usually have two nerves per face with many barely noticeable minor nerves.[2] It blooms from March to August producing yellow flowers.[1] The simple inflorescences occur singly or in pairs in the axils on stalks that are 5 to 15 mm (0.20 to 0.59 in) in length supporting cylindrical flower-spikes with a length of 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) and a width of 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) packed with golden coloured flowers. Following flowering woody, red-brown seed pods form that have a narrowly oblong to linear shape and are narrowed at the base. The resinous pods are up to 8 cm (3.1 in) in length and 4 to 6 mm (0.16 to 0.24 in) wide with oblique longitudinal nerves. The shiny grey to brown seeds inside have an oblong shape with a length of around 4.5 mm (0.18 in) with a turbinate aril.[2]

Distribution

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It is native to a small area in the Kimberley region of Western Australia where it is situated on hills, creek beds and in rocky areas where it is found growing in sandstone based soils.[1] It has a limited range from around Kununurra extending eastwards into the top end of the Northern Territory as far as the Keep River National Park.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Acacia richardsii". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  2. ^ a b c "Acacia richardsii Maslin". Wattle - Acacias of Australia. Lucid Central. Retrieved 15 April 2020.