About Acacia aspera Lindl.
Scientific name: Acacia aspera Lindl.
Description: Acacia aspera is a spreading shrub that typically reaches 0.5–2 m (1 ft 8 in – 6 ft 7 in) in height. It has hairy, ribbed branchlets. Its phyllodes range in shape from oblong to narrowly oblong or elliptic, are 6–30 mm (0.24–1.18 in) long and mostly 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide, and have a prominent midrib. Flowers are arranged in one or two spherical heads 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) in diameter, borne on peduncles 2–16 mm (0.079–0.630 in) long. Each flower head holds 24 to 50 cream-coloured to golden flowers. Flowering takes place from August to October. The seed pods are narrowly oblong to linear, with a papery to thinly leathery texture, and measure 20–60 mm (0.79–2.36 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide. The pods contain shiny dark brown seeds that are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, with an aril at one end.
Distribution and habitat: This species occurs across a range that extends from the Grampians eastward to the Warby Ranges in Victoria, and from Yass northward to Peak Hill in New South Wales. It grows on sandy or gravelly soils in open forest or mallee communities. Subspecies parviceps is restricted to Victoria, occurring mainly at sites west of Melbourne, where it grows in open forest. Plants from the Bacchus Marsh area are intermediate between the two recognized subspecies.
