Acacia depressa, also commonly known as echidna wattle, is a shrub of the genus Acacia and the subgenus Pulchellae that is endemic to south western Australia. It was listed as vulnerable according the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in 2007.[2]

Echidna wattle
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. depressa
Binomial name
Acacia depressa
Occurrence data from AVH

Description edit

The dense prostrate spreading shrub typically grows to a height of 0.05 to 0.15 metres (0.2 to 0.5 ft)[3] and tends to form mats that can over 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) in width with hairy and spiny branchlets. The milky green to grey-green, bipinnate and glabrous leaves have one pair of pinnae that are 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) in length and have three to four pairs if pinnules which have narrowly oblong to oblong-oblanceolate shape and are 2 to 3 mm (0.079 to 0.118 in) in length and about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide.[4] It blooms from December to January and produces yellow flowers.[3] It forms simple inflorescences that occur singly in the axils and have spherical flower-heads that contain 12 to 15 light golden coloured flowers. Following flowering firmly chartaceous seed pods form that have a narrowly oblong shape with a length of 1 to 2 cm (0.39 to 0.79 in) and a width of around 3 mm (0.12 in) and have a somewhat thickened margin.[4]

Distribution edit

It is native to an area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia where it is commonly situated on low rocky hills and rises where it grows in gravelly lateritic soils.[3] It has a limited distribution around Lake Grace as a part of low shrubland or open heath communities.[4]

See also edit

External links edit

"Acacia depressa". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.  

References edit

  1. ^ Acacia depressa, Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Recovery planning action not commenced list at the time of EPBC Act amendments, February 2007 (revised June 2009, corrected November 2009)" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Acacia depressa". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. ^ a b c "Acacia depressa Maslin". Wattle - Acacias of Australia. Lucid Central. Retrieved 2 February 2021.