Acacia dempsteri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia dempsteri |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
dempsteri
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia dempsteri is a type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia plant family. It is found only in the southwestern part of Australia. This plant is special because it has prickly branches and beautiful yellow flowers.
Contents
What Does Acacia dempsteri Look Like?
This shrub is often straggly and prickly. It usually grows to be about 1.2 to 4 metres (4 to 13 ft) tall. Its branches are smooth, meaning they have no hairs, and are covered with a white, powdery layer.
Leaves and Flowers
The plant has small, sharp spines called stipules, which are about 5 to 12 mm (0.20 to 0.47 in) long. Its leaves, called phyllodes, are green to grey-green. They are long and narrow, shaped a bit like a spear, and can be slightly uneven. These leaves are usually 3 to 6 cm (1.2 to 2.4 in) long and 4 to 10 mm (0.16 to 0.39 in) wide. They have a clear main vein, but other smaller veins are hard to see.
Acacia dempsteri blooms from September to October. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in large, round clusters, usually about 1 cm (0.39 in) across. Each cluster can have 40 to 50 golden flowers packed closely together.
Seed Pods
After the flowers, dark brown seed pods grow. These pods are firm and look like narrow rectangles. They are raised over the seeds inside. The pods can be up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long and 8 to 10 mm (0.31 to 0.39 in) wide. Inside, you will find dark brown seeds that are shaped like long ovals, about 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in) long.
How Was Acacia dempsteri Named?
A botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller first officially described this plant in 1879. He wrote about it in his work called Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified it. He gave it a new name, Racosperma dempsteri. However, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia genus. This shrub is part of a group of plants called the Acacia victoriae group. It is easy to tell apart from other plants in this group because of its large flower clusters.
Where Does Acacia dempsteri Grow?
This plant is native to the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It grows in sandy or loamy soils that are thin, often found around granite rocks.
You can find it scattered in different places. It grows from around Kambalda in the north to Gilmore Rocks in the south. It also reaches Breeborinia Rock, which is about 100 km (62 mi) south of Balladonia, in the east. Here, it is part of shrubland or mallee plant communities.
