Acacia barbinervis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia barbinervis |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
barbinervis
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| Acacia barbinervis occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
Acacia barbinervis is a type of shrub that grows in Western Australia. It belongs to a large group of plants called Acacia, which are often known as wattles. This plant is special because it is endemic to Western Australia, meaning it naturally grows only there and nowhere else in the world.
What it Looks Like
This shrub usually has many stems and spreads out. It can grow to be about 0.1 to 0.5 metres (0 to 2 ft) tall. Its small branches are covered in fine hairs. It has tiny, pointed leaf-like parts called stipules, which are about 1.5 to 4.5 mm (0.059 to 0.177 in) long.
The plant's leaves are actually not true leaves. They are flattened leaf stalks called phyllodes. These phyllodes are stiff, green, and flat. They are shaped like narrow lines and are about 1 to 3 cm (0.39 to 1.18 in) long and 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) wide. Each phyllode has a sharp, pointed tip. You can see five veins on the phyllodes, and the middle vein stands out clearly.
Acacia barbinervis blooms from November to December. It produces cream-yellow flowers. The flowers grow in round clusters, either alone or in pairs, where the phyllodes meet the stem. Each round flower-head has 12 to 22 golden or creamy colored flowers.
After the flowers, curved, reddish-brown seed pods form. These pods can grow up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long and about 4 m (13 ft) wide.
Its Name and Family
The first official description of this plant was made by a botanist named George Bentham in 1842. He wrote about it in a book by William Jackson Hooker.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma barbinerve. But in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group.
This plant looks a lot like another species called Acacia costata. They are also closely related.
There are two types, or subspecies, of Acacia barbinervis:
- Acacia barbinervis subsp. borealis: This one was described in 1999 by Bruce Maslin.
- Acacia barbinervis Benth. subsp. barbinervis: This is the original type.
Where it Grows
Acacia barbinervis is found along the west coast of Western Australia. It grows in areas known as the Wheatbelt and the Peel regions.
It prefers to grow in sandy soils that contain laterite, which is a type of soil rich in iron and aluminum. The plant's natural range stretches from Eneabba in the north down to around Waroona in the south.
