Habitat.
— Bentham (B.Fl. ii, 371) refers this species to New South Wales ("Blue Mountains, Caley, A. Cunningham, and others"), and also doubtfully to South Australia.
Mueller ("Second Census") refers A. linifolia, Willd. (which included, according to his view, A. prominens as a variety), to Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The properly authenticated range of A. prominens is County of Cumberland, north of the County of Camden, and nearly to Newcastle on the north, i.e., to New South Wales only.
In my "Wattles and Wattle-barks," 3rd edn., p. 80, I have the following note:—
A specimen from trees 15 to 30 feet high, and having a diameter of from 4 to 8 inches, was collected in February, 1890, at Krackenback Mountain, Jindabyne, N.S.W., and analysed January, 1891. It was found to contain 11 per cent. tannic acid and 29.75 per cent. extract. This bark is deceptive in appearance, being smooth, breaking short, with little fibre, and altogether a fair-looking bark.
On the Snowy Mountains it occurs at elevations from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. It is an eastern form found principally in the coast districts.
These Snowy Mountains localities are several hundreds of miles from all other authenticated localities, which may be briefly described as Sydney and Newcastle districts. The Snowy Mountain specimens that I have seen are in immature bud only and are, therefore, doubtful, but they become interesting because perhaps similar specimens have caused A. prominens to be recorded for Victoria.
Furthermore, A. prominens has been recorded from Queensland. Certainly A. fimbriata occurs there, as I have shown in Part XLII, but I am not aware that the true A. prominens occurs in the northern State, and the record should be struck out until it is confirmed.
The record "South Australia?" in the Flora Australiensis should also be struck out. In a word, I do not think we have evidence at present to look upon A. prominens as occurring in any State other than New South Wales.
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New South Wales localities (authenticated by material in the National Herbarium, Sydney) are:—
Mulgoa, on the banks of the Nepean (R. H. Cambage and J.H.M.). The type came from the vicinity of the Nepean River, where it exists to this day, though it is rare in the vicinity of the old Emu crossing of the Nepean, owing to settlement.
Belmore, just south of Sydney. Taken from a tree 2 feet 6 inches in girth. A few years ago there were a number of trees in this locality much larger than the one noted (A. A. Hamilton).
Kogarah and Hurstville, just south of Sydney (J.H. Camfield and E. Betche); Gosford (J.J. Fletcher).
"Sally-Wattle." From tree 76 feet high; timber used for axe-handles; Narara, near Gosford (A. Murphy).