Acacia scalena is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae that is endemic to a small area in western Australia.

Acacia scalena
Conservation status
Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
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. scalena
Binomial name
Acacia scalena Maslin
Occurrence data from AVH

Description

The rigid prickly shrub typically grows to a height of 0.5 to 1.5 metres (2 to 5 ft).[1] The glabrous, short, rigid and straight branchlets are patent to ascending are often spinose and lightly covered in a fine white powdery coating. Like many species it has phyllodes rather than new leaves. The grey-green to blue-green, pungent, sessile and dimidiate phyllodes have a length of 5 to 10 mm (0.20 to 0.39 in) and a width of 3 to 10 mm (0.12 to 0.39 in)with a midrib near lower margin.[2] It blooms from June to September and produces yellow flowers.[1] The rudimentary inflorescences occur singly on racemes with a length of around 0.4 mm (0.016 in) the spherical flower-heads contain 18 to 22 golden coloured flowers. The undulate seed pods that form after flowering have a narrowly oblong shape with a length of up to 4 cm (1.6 in) and a width of 4 to 6 mm (0.16 to 0.24 in). The mottled seeds inside have an elliptic shape with a length of about 0.3 mm (0.012 in) and a waxy dull yellow aril.[2]

Distribution

It is native to an area in the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions of Western Australia where it is found growing in yellow coloured sandy or loamy soils.[1] The range of the plant extends from around Ballidu in the south to around Latham in the north where it is usually found as a part of Eucalyptus woodland or open heath communities.[2]

See also

• List of Acacia species

References