''Acacia mucronata'', the variable sallow wattle or narrow-leaved wattle, is a shrub or small tree to 5 m high. It is native to southeast Australia, mainly the states of

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and Victoria (where it is widespread and common in forests and woodland, mostly south of the

Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs rough ...

). It often grows as an understorey tree or shrub in eucalypt forest or as a dominant in scrubland. In drier regions of its distribution, like in northeast Tasmania, it often grows along creeks and sheltered coastlines.

Description

There are 3 subspecies: ''Acacia mucronata'' subsp. ''longifolia'' is distinguished from the other 2 subspecies (both apparently Tasmanian endemics) in having

phyllode Phyllodes are modified petioles or leaf stems, which are leaf-like in appearance and function. In some plants, these become flattened and widened, while the leaf itself becomes reduced or vanishes altogether. Thus the phyllode comes to serve the ...

s usually more than 9 cm long (rarely less than 10 times as long as wide) and usually acute. This is reflected in the

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''mucronata'', i.e. 'mucronate, pointed'. The flowers of ''A. mucronata'' are in loose spikes 1–6 cm long, solitary or twinned, creamy white or pale yellow; the rachis is visible between the flowers. It flowers in spring, usually August to December.

References

mucronata Fabales of Australia Trees of Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (state) {{Australia-rosid-stub