Acacia cylindrica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia cylindrica |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
|
| Species: |
cylindrica
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia cylindrica is a type of shrub. It belongs to the big Acacia plant family. This plant is special because it grows only in western Australia. This means it is endemic there. You won't find it growing naturally anywhere else!
Contents
Meet the Acacia cylindrica Shrub
This interesting shrub usually grows to be about 1.5 to 4 meters (5 to 13 feet) tall. Its branches often have sticky, raised lines. These lines look like tiny ribs. The branches can be smooth or have fine, soft hairs. These hairs grow between the lines.
What Makes Its Leaves Unique?
Like many Acacia plants, the Acacia cylindrica does not have regular leaves. Instead, it has something called phyllodes. These are actually flattened stems. They do the job of leaves. Phyllodes help the plant make its own food.
The phyllodes of this plant are always green. They stay on the plant all year long. They are straight and can be round. Some have a slightly four-sided shape. They are quite stiff. They grow to be about 8 to 13 centimeters (3 to 5 inches) long. They are very thin, only about 1 to 1.2 millimeters wide.
If you look closely, you might see tiny lines on them. These are like its "nerves." It has 16 of these nerves. But usually, only 8 are easy to see.
When Does It Bloom?
The Acacia cylindrica shows off its bright yellow flowers. This happens between August and October. Its blooms add a splash of color to its home.
How Acacia cylindrica Got Its Name
The scientific name for this plant is Acacia cylindrica. Two botanists, Bruce Maslin and Richard Sumner Cowan, first gave it this name. They officially named it in 1995. They wrote about it in a science magazine. The magazine is called Nuytsia. This was part of their work on Acacia plants in Western Australia.
A Quick Name Change
For a short time in 2003, another botanist, Leslie Pedley, changed its name. He called it Racosperma cylindricum. But by 2006, it was moved back into the Acacia family. It has stayed there ever since.
Where Acacia cylindrica Lives
This special Acacia shrub lives in certain parts of Western Australia. You can find it mainly in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance areas. It likes to grow on flat land. It also grows on gently rolling plains. It often lives in sandy soils mixed with gravel. You will usually find it in scrub-land plant groups.
Main Locations of This Shrub
Most Acacia cylindrica plants are found between Southern Cross in the southeast. They also grow near Bullfinch in the northwest. There are also a few smaller groups of these plants. These smaller groups are found further north.
