Erect or spreading tree to 30 m, north from Mullumbimby area in wet sclerophyll eucalypt forest and rainforest. Rare, threatened, vulnerable in the wild. Referred to as the rainforest acacia. Bark finely fissured or sometimes smooth. Phyllodes elliptic to broadly elliptic, straight to slightly curved, 5-10 cm long, 15-50 mm wide, not hairy, 3 or 4 longitudinal veins prominent, new growth attractive red. Flowers in spring, racemes with globose clusters of pale yellow to cream-coloured heads. Seed pods green-brown, straight or curved, more or less flat, 5-16 cm long, 10-16 mm wide. Seeds germinate in 2-4 weeks. Named in honour of Richard Thomas Baker (1854-1941), who was a member of the Sydney Technological Museum staff, and the collector of the type.
Foliage. Photo: Robert Whyte
