About Acacia riceana Hensl.
Acacia riceana grows as a dense, prickly shrub that can reach up to 5 meters (16 feet) tall in the wettest parts of its native range. Like several other Acacia species, it has narrow, pointed phyllodes, but it is set apart by the arrangement of these structures in groups of 3 to 6. This species bears a close resemblance to Acacia derwentiana, which shares a similar distribution and similar phyllodes, though Acacia derwentiana's phyllodes are narrower than those of Acacia riceana. Acacia riceana has dense foliage and weeping branches. It flowers from July to January, and its seed pods mature in January and February. This species is endemic to the southeastern corner of Tasmania, where it grows at elevations from sea level up to 900 meters (3000 feet). Its main populations are centered around the Derwent, Huon, and Prosser River Valleys, while small populations also occur on the slopes of the Ironbound Range in the far south of the state. The species also forms dense growth on slopes overlooking the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, stretching from Southport to Margate. Outlying populations are found on the Tasman/Forester Peninsula and South Bruny Island, with the most remote outlying population located on Maria Island.
