Citation: B. R. Maslin & D. J. E. Whibley, Nuytsia 6:27-30 (1987).

Derivation: cretaceus (L.)—chalk-white, referring to the conspicuously chalky branchlets, inflorescences and legumes.

Synonymy: Acacia aff. steedmannii Maiden & Blakely

Common name: None

Description:
Spindly often single stemmed shrub or small tree 3.5-4m tall, crown open, straggly, rarely bushy, branchlets terete to prominently angular towards their apices, glabrous conspicuously pruinose. Bark smooth grey or red-brown on lower trunks.

Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, apices abruptly narrowed and obtuse with minute mucro, 7-10 cm long, 9-18 mm wide, moderately coriaceous, often crowded, ascending erect, mostly straight, greyish medium green but glaucous when young; midrib moderately pronounced with similar marginal veins. Gland not prominent on upper margin of phyllode.

Inflorescences racemose or with a few simple peduncles, racemes 2-4 cm long with 5-14 heads. Peduncles 4-11 mm mostly alternate. Flower-heads globular 10 mm diameter (fresh) lemon to golden yellow, very fragrant, 34-45 densely arranged flowers, buds very pruinose. Flowers 5-merous, glabrous.

Legumes narrowly oblong, gently raised over seeds, slightly constricted between seeds 9 cm long, 5-6 mm wide, up to 10 seeds, firmly chartaceous, straight or slightly curved, glabrous, pruinose when young finally pale brown. Seeds longitudinal with aril facing apex of legume, 5-7 mm long, 3-3.5 mm wide, turgid, little shiny, black; funicle filiform 15 mm long, with a short fold near aril then extending below seed to half or near wholly encircle seed before doubling back and terminating in a thickened, yellow aril.

Distribution:  In low shrubland and mallee scrub on deep red sand with Eucalyptus incrassata, Melaleuca uncinata and Triodia irritans in north-east Eyre Peninsula in a restricted area north of Cowell. S.Aust.: EP. Flowering time: The species has been collected in flower between July and January and in pod between July and October.

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

Biology: No text

Related taxa: Acacia cretacea is related to a number of species that occur on Eyre Peninsula. These include A. anceps, A. alcockii, A. calamifolia, A. gillii, A. leiophylla, A. nematophylla and notabilis. From all of these it is distinguished by its prominently chalky branchlets, inflorescences and legumes.

Taxonomic notes: The species is described and discussed by Maslin & Whibley (1987).

Cultivation: Not known in cultivation.

Author: Not yet available

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