Acacia oncinophylla

The shrub typically grows to a height of 0.5 to 3 metres (2 to 10 ft)[2] and has minni ritchi style bark and flattened and angular ribbed branchlets that are glabrous or sparsely hairy on ribs and are sometimes coated with a white powdery coating. Like most species of Acacia, it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. The evergreen phyllodes have a linear or linear-oblanceolate shape and can be either straight or curved. The glabrous, flexible, or semi-rigid phyllodes have a length of 4 to 13 cm (1.6 to 5.1 in) and a width of 1 to 6 mm (0.039 to 0.236 in) with an acute to acuminate apex and have three to seven raised nerves on each face.[1] It flowers from August to September, producing yellow flowers.[2] The simple inflorescences are found in pairs in the axils and have cylindrical flower spikes with a length of 11 to 25 mm (0.43 to 0.98 in) and a diameter of 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) and are densley packed with 50 to 97 golden-coloured flowers. After flowering golden to silver-coloured velvety seed pods form that have a linear shape and are straight to very slightly curved. The pods have a length of up to 6 cm (2.4 in) and a width of 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) with obliquely arranged seeds inside. The glossy black seeds have a broadly elliptic shape and a length of 3 to 3.5 mm (0.12 to 0.14 in) with an apical aril.[1]

The species was first formally described by the botanist John Lindley in 1839.

There are two recognised subspecies:

• Acacia oncinophylla subsp. oncinophylla
• Acacia oncinophylla subsp. patulifolia

It is quite closely related to Acacia fauntleroyi, which is found further east.[1]

It is native to the Swan Coastal Plain and South West regions of Western Australia where it is commonly situated on hills andslopes growing in granitic or lateritic soils.[2] It is found from around Mogumber in the north and down the Darling Range to around Wagerup in the south, often as a part of jarrah woodland communities.[1]

• List of Acacia species