Acacia castorum
| Acacia castorum | |
|---|---|
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. castorum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia castorum | |
Acacia castorum, commonly known as Peak Range wattle,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the Gemini Mountains in central-eastern Queensland, Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly egg-shaped phyllodes with the narrower end towards the base, spherical heads of 20 to 25 flowers, and leathery pods up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long.
Description
[edit]Acacia castorum is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 3 m (9.8 ft) and has few branchlets that are covered with hairs pressed against the surface. Its phyllodes are narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long, 1.5–2.4 mm (0.059–0.094 in) wide with a small point near the end, and narrowly triangular stipules 0.4–1 mm (0.016–0.039 in) long at the base. The flowers are borne in axils in spherical heads on a peduncle 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) long, each head with 20 to 25 flowers. The pods are leathery, up to about 30 mm (1.2 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) wide with a powdery white bloom containing up to 8 shiny black seeds 4.3–5.0 mm (0.17–0.20 in) long and 3.0–3.3 mm (0.12–0.13 in) wide with a club-shaped aril.[2][3]
Taxonomy
[edit]Acacia castorum was first formally described in 2019 by Leslie Pedley in the journal Austrobaileya from specimens collected on Mount Castor in the Peak Range National Park in 2001.[3][4] The specific epithet (castorum) alludes to the half twins Castor and Pollux, or the mountains named after them.[3]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]This species of wattle is only known from Gemini Mountains in the Peak Range National Park in central-eastern Queensland, where it grows on cliff lines and steep slopes of trachyte in open woodland.[2][3]
Conservation status
[edit]Acacia castorum is listed as "vulnerable" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Acacia castorum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Maslin, Bruce R. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Acacia castorum". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d Pedley, Leslie (2019). "Notes on Acacia Mill. (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), chiefly from Queensland, 6". Austrobaileya. 10 (3): 297–298. doi:10.5962/p.364349. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Acacia castorum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Taxon Record 41056 - Acacia castorum". Queensland Government WildNet. Retrieved 13 June 2025.