Common name: Sunshine Wattle
Acacia terminalis (Salisb.) J.F.Macbr. APNI* Description: Erect or spreading shrub or occasionally small tree to 6 m high; bark smooth or finely fissured, grey or brown; branchlets angled, glabrous to densely hairy.
Leaves with petiole 0.7–4 cm long, with a gland near basal pinnae or to way below; rachis usually 0.7–9.5 cm long, glabrous to densely hairy, often with a gland at apex, interjugary glands absent; pinnae usually 2–8 pairs, 1–10 cm long; pinnules 5–21 pairs, mostly oblong to narrowly oblong, oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, 2–19 mm long, 1–5.5 mm wide, ± flat, discolorous, dark green and shiny above, paler and dull below, glabrous or ciliate.
Inflorescences in terminal or axillary racemes or panicles; peduncles mostly 3–17 mm long, hairy or glabrous; heads globose, 5–14-flowered, 7–12 mm diam., cream-coloured, pale yellow or bright yellow.
Pods straight or curved, ± flat except raised, rough and often darker over seeds, ± straight-sided but often irregularly constricted between some seeds, 3.5–10 cm long, 12–19 mm wide, leathery, glabrous, with prominent pale margins; seeds longitudinal; funicle filiform.
Flowering: Flowers February–October.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs south from Tenterfield, chiefly on the coast and ranges. Grows in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland or heath, usually on sandstone.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, CWS
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
Intergrades occur between some of the subspecies, especially in the Sydney Basin.
Text by P.G. Kodela
Taxon concept: P.G. Kodela & G.J. Harden (2002)
| | Key to the species Acacia terminalis | |
| 1 | Branchlets sparsely to densely hairy, occasionally glabrous; petiole and rachis usually hairy; flower heads pale yellow or cream-coloured to almost white. | 2 |
| 2 | Peduncles 0.7-1.5 cm long, 0.5-1 mm diam.; heads 7-14-flowered; calyx 0.8-1.4 mm long; main axis of panicle or raceme to 16.5 cm long; flowering axes without glandular axillary shoots. | subsp. terminalis |
| 2* | Peduncles 0.5-2.1 cm long, 0.3-0.5 mm diam.; heads 5-9-flowered; calyx 0.6-0.9 mm long; main axis of panicle or raceme to 33 cm long; flowering axes occasionally with glandular axillary shoots. | subsp. longiaxialis |
| 1* | Branchlets glabrous or with sparse hairs; petiole and rachis usually glabrous; flower heads dark to bright yellow or cream-coloured to almost white. | 3 |
| 3 | Flower heads pale yellow or cream-coloured to almost white, 5-13-flowered, 5-12 mm diam; petiolar gland 2-12 mm long; shrub to small tree to 6 m high. | subsp. angustifolia |
| 3* | Flower heads dark to bright yellow or sometimes pale yellow, 5-7-flowered or occasionally up to 11-flowered, 4-10 mm diam.; petiolar gland 1.5-6.7 mm long; shrub to 2 or rarely 3 m high. | subsp. aurea |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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