Acacia brachybotrya Benth.

Species Habit

Acacia brachybotrya Benth. is a dense, rounded, erect or spreading shrub that usually reaches a height of 1 to 3 meters (3 feet 3 inches to 9 feet 10 inches), and is often wider than it is tall.

Phyllode Shape

Its phyllodes vary in shape, most commonly from lance-shaped to egg-shaped with the narrower end toward the base.

Phyllode Characteristics

They range in color from greyish-green to glaucous, and are 10 to 35 millimeters (0.39 to 1.38 inches) long and 5 to 12 millimeters (0.20 to 0.47 inches) wide.

Inflorescence Structure

Flowers are arranged on racemes 0.5 to 2 millimeters (0.020 to 0.079 inches) long, which bear up to four spherical flower heads on 5 to 12 millimeter (0.20 to 0.47 inch) long peduncles.

Flower Head Details

Each flower head holds 28 to 36 golden-yellow flowers.

Flowering Period

Flowering occurs from July to November.

Pod Shape and Texture

After flowering, this species produces linear pods that resemble a string of beads, with a texture from firmly papery to leathery.

Pod Dimensions

The pods can grow up to 90 millimeters (3.5 inches) long and 5 to 11 millimeters (0.20 to 0.43 inches) wide.

Seed Characteristics

Seeds are 4.0 to 5.5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.22 inches) long, brown to black in color, and have an aril at one end.

Common Name and General Distribution

Commonly known as grey mulga, this species is widely distributed across semi-arid areas of south-eastern Australia.

Specific Range

Its range extends from around Yalata in western South Australia east to around Bendigo in Victoria, and north as far as Nymagee in New South Wales.

Habitat

It grows in many different soil types, and is most often found as a member of mallee plant communities.