Derivation: cowleana-commemorating Trooper Cowle who assisted the scientific party to Mt Olga.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Slender shrub or small tree to 5 m, branchlets apically angular together with phyllodes minutely silky pubescent becoming glabrous, often appearing silvery, trunk smooth.

Phyllodes falcate, 7-19 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, glaucous to silvery, 3 principal longitudinal veins and numerous fine inconspicuous longitudinal veins between them; gland basal, just above the pulvinus on the upper margin.

Inflorescences of mostly twin spikes from the upper phyllode axils; peduncles c. 1 cm, spikes lax, 2-4 cm, flowers glabrous or pubescent, 5-merous.

Legumes straight, to 8 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, swollen above the seeds and flatter between them, slightly constricted between the seeds, frequently many legumes produced on each flower spike so that the legumes appear bunched or clustered. Seeds longitudinal, black, shiny 4-5 mm long, 2-2.5 ram wide, funicle folded over the apex of the seed and terminating in a yellow aril.

Distribution:  Confined to the far north-east of the State near the Queensland border on Cordillo Downs Station on red sand plains. Much more widespread in northern W.Aust., N.T. and Qld. Flowering time: To date only collected in fruit in November in South Australia. In adjacent N.T. and Qld flowering in June and July with fruits ripe in September — October.

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 to A. holosericea of northern Australia which has straighter, asymmetric phyllodes, and pubescent flowers.

Cultivation: Could form an attractive silvery tree in dry tropic areas.

Author: Not yet available

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