Acacia rubricola


Acacia rubricola is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae native to north eastern Australia.

Description

The shrub typically grows to a height of and has many branches and heavy foliage and a bushy habit. It has ribbed hairy branchlets with the phyllodes emerging from the ribs. The flat, evergreen and linear shaped phyllodes have a length of and a width of and are generally straight or slightly sigmoid and have a single yellow translucent longitudinal nerve that is prominent on each side of the phyllode. It flowers between August and October producing simple inflorescences that have spherical flower-heads that contain 20 to 35 yellow flowers. After flowering, from late November to January, chartaceous dark brown seed pods will form that have a linear shape but are raised over the seeds,. The pods are found up to a length of around and a width of with longitudinally arranged seeds inside. The dark brown seeds have a length of and a width of with a cream coloured aril.

Distribution

It is endemic to a small area on the Binjour Plateau in south eastern Queensland near Gayndah growing in red loamy soils as a part of heathland or open Eucalyptus woodland communities.

Conservation Status

Acacia rubricola is listed as "endangered" under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is not listed under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.