Citation: F. Mueller, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. Ser.2, 5:18(1890).

Derivation: merrallii—in honour of Edwin Merrall(1844-1913), a botanical collector in Vic. and W.Aust.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Merrall's wattle

Description:
Small, rigid, spreading, procumbent shrubs 0.75-1.5 m high and usually wider than its height; branchlets hoary-pubescent slightly angular greyish-brown; bark grey fissured at base.

Phyllodes obliquely ovate-orbicular or obovate 8-20 mm long, 5-15 mm broad, flat, rigid, grey-green, hoary-pubescent when young, 1-veined, ending in a hard curved pungent mucro, margins prominent and yellowish, vein-like; glands on upper margin below middle of the phyllode.

Inflorescences simple and axillary, solitary or twin; flower-heads globular 25-35-flowered; peduncles slender glabrous 8-12 mm long; flowers 5-merous.

Legumes linear but curved or loosely coiled, 3-6 cm long, 2-3 mm broad, dark brown, biconvex, margins slightly contracted between seeds. Seeds longitudinal in legume; funicle short ending with a large fleshy bright-yellow conical aril which is at least half the size of the seed and often broader.

Distribution:  Found in or near coastal areas in the Nullarbor region, eastwards across Eyre Peninsula region and a small occurrence in the Yorke Peninsula region, mainly in open scrub vegetation, associated with Eucalyptus socialis and E. gracilis. Soils; brown calcareous earths and grey-brown calcareous loamy earths. Rainfall 200-350 mm. Also south-western Western Australia. S.Aust.: NU, EP, YP. Conservation status: Lang & Kraehenbuehl (1987) consider this species to be Rare on Eyre Peninsula. Flowering time: August — October.

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

Biology: No text

Cultivation: Little known in cultivation but appears to be a hardy species that would be suitable for dry inland areas as a low ground cover shrub. Moderate growth rate.

Author: Not yet available

Source: