A Reappraisal of Acacia cowleana and Allied Taxa, Including the Description of a New Species, A. elachantha, from the Tropical Dry-zone of Australia

Abstract

The taxonomy of Acacia cowleana Tate is reviewed. In thepast this name had been applied to a broadly circumscribed entity which is nowtreated as two species, A. cowleana sensu typico andA. elachantha M.W.McDonald & Maslin, sp. nov. Fullbotanical descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps are given.Acacia oligophleba Pedley is treated as conspecific withA. cowleana. A lectotype is selected forA. cowleana.Acacia cowleana andA. elachantha along with A. coleiMaslin & L.Thomson, A. leptocarpa A.Cunn. ex Benth.,A. longispicata Benth.,A. thomsonii Maslin & M.W.McDonald and anundescribed species from Wetar, Indonesia, constitute the informalA. cowleana group. The main distinguishing charactersfor the six described species in the group are given.