Common name: gidgee, stinking wattle, stinking gidgee
Acacia cambagei R.T.Baker APNI* Synonyms: Racosperma cambagei (R.T.Baker) Pedley APNI*
Description: Erect or spreading tree 5–15 m high; bark fissured, ± flaky, dark grey; branchlets angled at extremities, glabrous or finely appressed-hairy, often pruinose.
Phyllodes ± narrowly elliptic to very narrowly elleptic, straight to slightly curved, 4–10 cm long, usually 3–10 mm wide, glaucous, ± glabrous or appressed-hairy, longitudinal veins numerous, obscure, 1–3 more prominent, apex acute to obtuse; 1 small gland at base; pulvinus 2–3 mm long.
Inflorescences 4–20 on an extended, sometimes indefinite, axillary axis mostly 2–9 mm long; peduncles usually 5–10 mm long (sometimes 2 or more mm long), appressed-hairy; heads globose, 15–25-flowered, 3–4 mm diam., yellow to pale yellow.
Pods ± straight, ± flat, irregularly slightly or sometimes more deeply constricted between seeds, 4–13 cm long, 7–10 mm wide, papery to thinly leathery, finely reticulately veined, glabrous; seeds longitudinal; funicle filiform.
Flowering: usually March–July.
Distribution and occurrence: from north of Broken Hill to Bourke district. Grows usually in mallee on plains, mostly in clay loam.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld S.A. N.T.
Related to the Queensland species Acacia georginae, but can be recognised in New South Wales by the thick bloom and the unpleasant odour (similar to that of boiled cabbage) emitted by the phyllodes, particularly during wet weather. The name honours Richard Hind Cambage (1859-1928) who collected extensively in New South Wales.
Text by P.G. Kodela (last updated Jan 2013)
Taxon concept: P.G. Kodela & G.J. Harden, Flora of NSW Vol. 2 (2002)
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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