A taxonomic revision of Acacia verniciflua and A. leprosa (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Australia Bruce R. Maslin 1 and Daniel J. Murphy 2 1 Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia 6983, Australia; e-mail:
[email protected] 2 National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia; e-mail:
[email protected] Introduction Abstract Acacia verniciflua (Varnish Wattle) and A. leprosa (Cinnamon Wattle) A revision of a taxonomically complex occur in temperate areas of eastern and southern Australia and as group of species allied to, and including, Acacia leprosa Sieber ex DC. hitherto defined were regarded as highly polymorphic species in need of and A. verniciflua A.Cunn. is presented. critical revision (Maslin 2001). The conventional separation between the These species predominate in species was the number of longitudinal nerves on their phyllodes, one in temperate regions of eastern Australia. A. leprosa and two in A. verniciflua, but as correctly noted by Court (1972, Two new species are described, p. 219), the importance of this character has been over-emphasised. A. rostriformis Maslin & D.J.Murphy and A. stictophylla Court ex Maslin During the nineteenth century a number of taxa were described that & D.J.Murphy and one, A. exudans were referable to the A. verniciflua– A. leprosa group, however, none Lindl., is resurrected. Acacia leprosa is of these names was ever taken up, presumably because of difficulties treated as a highly polymorphic species in defining the taxa and uncertainties concerning the application of comprising five varieties, four of which the names (some of which were based on plants cultivated in Europe are described as new, namely, A.