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Acacia ancistrophylla facts for kids

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Acacia ancistrophylla
Scientific classification
Genus:
Acacia
Species:
ancistrophylla
Acacia ancistrophyllaDistMap45.png

Acacia ancistrophylla is a type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia family, also known as wattles. It grows naturally in several parts of southern Australia.

About the Shrub

This prickly shrub usually grows between 0.4 and 2.5 meters (about 1.3 to 8.2 feet) tall. It often has a dense, bushy shape. Its branches are mostly smooth, or have only a few hairs.

Like many Acacia plants, it doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are smooth, leathery, and stay green all year round. They can be straight or slightly curved. They are about 1.2 to 4.8 centimeters (0.5 to 1.9 inches) long and 1.5 to 5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.2 inches) wide. You can see many faint lines, or nerves, running along them.

Acacia ancistrophylla blooms from August to October, producing bright yellow flowers.

How it's Classified

The scientific name for a plant is like its unique ID. The first time Acacia ancistrophylla was officially described was in 1904. This was done by a botanist named Cecil Andrews.

Scientists have found three slightly different types, or varieties, of this plant:

  • Acacia ancistrophylla var. ancistrophylla
  • Acacia ancistrophylla var. lissophylla
  • Acacia ancistrophylla var. perarcuata

Where it Grows

This shrub is found in different areas across southern Australia. You can see it in southern Western Australia, the southeastern parts of South Australia, and northwestern Victoria.

In Western Australia, it grows in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions. It often lives on hills, plains, and ridges. It can grow in clay, sandy, or loamy soils, often near or on limestone.

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