Citation: W. J. Hooker, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 74:t.4384 (1848).

Derivation: argyros (Gr.)—silver; phyllon (Gr.)—leaf.

Synonymy: A. brachybotrya Benth. var. argyrophylla (Hook.)Benth., F1.Aust. 2:374 (1864). , Acacia bombycina

Common name: silver-mulga

Description:
Tall, erect, compact, spreading shrubs 2-3 m high often the same or more across, with a golden and silvery appearance; branchlets slightly angular, striate, covered with fine golden to silvery-grey appressed hairs.

Phyllodes oblanceolate, obovate 2-5 cm long, 6-20 mm broad, flat, covered with short glossy silky more or less appressed hairs, young phyllode golden pubescent, main vein oblique, lateral veins inconspicuous, apex obtuse with a minute mucronate point. Glands inconspicuous on upper margin near the middle.

Inflorescences axillary, solitary but mostly 2-5 on short racemes which often grow out to form a leafy shoot at the apex; flower-heads globular, golden yellow 25-35-flowered; peduncles slender golden pubescent, 8-20 mm long; flowers 5-merous.

Legumes linear, 5-10 cm long, 10-15 mm broad, dark brown, undulate, raised and often roughed and warted over the seeds; margins yellowish, vein-like somewhat constricted between the seeds. Seeds longitudinal in legume, ovoid-obloid; funicle short, abruptly thickened into a white fleshy aril.

Distribution:  This species is associated with woodland and open scrub mainly in the Flinders Ranges (southern part), Northern and Southern Lofty and Murray regions, with a few occurrences in Yorke Peninsula region. Often confined to roadside vegetation due to agricultural development. Soils; mainly hard alkaline red duplex, brown and grey-brown calcareous earths. Rainfall 350-500 min. Also in central western Vic. S.Aust.: FR, EA, NL, MU, YP, SL. Flowering time: July — November.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Related taxa: Closely related t A. brachybotrya (sp. 12), which differs mainly in having grey-green phyllodes rarely tinged with gold and never being completely covered with silky hairs,

Taxonomic notes: A. argyrophylla has few records of mistletoes infesting it, two records only of Lysiana exocarpi harlequin mistletoe and a single record of Amyema preissii, wire-leaved mistletoe.

Cultivation: A particularly ornamental shrub because of its attractive golden or silvery foliage. Suitable for parks and roadside plantings, does well in neutral or calcareous well-drained soils. Moderate to fast growth rate.

Author: Not yet available

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