Acacia chinchillensis
Acacia chinchillensis, commonly known as chinchilla wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is a multistemmed, glaucous shrub with bipinnate leaves with 2 to 4 pairs of pinnae, each with 5 to 11 pairs of pinnules. The flowers are borne in spherical heads of golden or yellow flowers, the pods are often curved, and thinly leathery and up to long.
Description
Acacia chinchillensis is a multistemmed, glaucous shrub that typically grows to a height of and has smooth, grey to greenish brown bark. The leaves are bipinnate with 2 to 4 pairs of pinnae long, each with 5 to 11 lance-shaped pinnae long and wide with the narrower end towards the base. The petiole is long. The flowers are borne in spherical heads in axils on peduncles long, each head with 11 to 22 golden or yellow flowers. Flowering occurs from July to September, and the pods are thinly leathery, brownish-black, often curved, long and wide.
Taxonomy
Acacia chinchillensis was first formally described in 1978 by the botanist Mary Tindale in the journal Telopea from specimens collected by road, north of Chinchilla. The specific epithet is derived from the name of the township, in which district this species is prevalent.
Distribution
Chinchilla wattle ocurs from north of Chincilla to near Tara where it grows in ironbark and Callitris columellaris - Casuarina woodland in sandy or gravelly soils.
Conservation status
Acacia chinchillensis is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.