Catkin wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Catkin wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
dallachiana
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Catkin Wattle (scientific name: Acacia dallachiana) is a type of tree. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is a large group of plants. This tree is originally from southeastern Australia. It is also known as catkin wattle because of its flower clusters.
What Does the Catkin Wattle Look Like?
The Catkin Wattle tree usually grows to be about 7 to 12 m (23 to 39 ft) tall. Some can even reach up to 15 m (49 ft) high. Its bark is smooth and grey or grey-brown when young. As the tree gets older, the bark develops deep cracks.
The small branches of the tree are smooth and do not have hairs. They are also angled towards their tips. Like many Acacia trees, the Catkin Wattle does not have typical leaves. Instead, it has special flattened leaf stems called phyllodes.
These phyllodes are always green, even in winter. They can be grey or blue-green in color. Their shape can be long and narrow, or slightly wider like a spear tip. They are often a bit curved. Each phyllode is usually 8 to 18 cm (3.1 to 7.1 in) long and 1 to 3.5 cm (0.39 to 1.38 in) wide. They have a few main veins that you can see, and other smaller veins that are harder to spot.
The Catkin Wattle produces beautiful golden flowers. These flowers usually appear between October and January.
How Did the Catkin Wattle Get Its Name?
The scientific name for this tree is Acacia dallachiana. The second part of its name, dallachiana, is a tribute to a person. It honors John Dallachy. He used to be in charge of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, Australia.
Where Does the Catkin Wattle Grow?
The Catkin Wattle is a special tree because it is endemic to a specific area. This means it only grows naturally in the southern parts of New South Wales and the northern parts of Victoria in Australia.
In Victoria, this tree is quite rare. You can find it in places like the Snowy Mountains, the Victorian Alps, and other highland areas. Most of these trees grow in the montane and subalpine forests. These are forests found on mountains, like the Buffalo Range and at Sassafras Gap.
The tree also grows in the far southeast of New South Wales. Here, it is found in the Snowy Mountains at higher elevations. It prefers to grow in soils that come from granite rock. You will often see it as part of wet sclerophyll forests and woodlands. These are types of forests with hard-leaved plants that can handle dry conditions.
