Common name: sunshine wattle
Acacia terminalis (Salisb.) J.F.Macbr. APNI* Synonyms: Acacia paniculata (H.L.Wendl.) J.F.Macbr. APNI*
Racosperma terminale (Salisb.) Pedley APNI*
Acacia discolor (Andrews) Willd. APNI*
Acacia maritima Benth. APNI*
Mimosa botrycephala Vent. APNI*
Mimosa discolor Andrews 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 ½ 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: February–October.
Distribution and occurrence: 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 subspecies | |
| 1 | Branchlets sparsely to densely hairy, occasionally glabrous; petiole and rachis usually hairy; flower heads pale yellow or cream-coloured to almost white. | 2 |
| Branchlets glabrous or with sparse hairs; petiole and rachis usually glabrous; flower heads dark to bright yellow or cream-coloured to almost white. | 3 |
| 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. Eastern Sydney (G.P.Phillips 126) |
| 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.
Back to 1 | subsp. Long inflorescences (P.G.Kodela 307) |
| 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. Glabrous form (M.Hancock 94) |
| 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.
Back to 1 | subsp. Bright yellow flower (M.Tindale NSW248078) |
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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