Acacia distans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia distans |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
distans
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia distans is a special type of tree found only in the dry, desert-like parts of western Australia. It belongs to a large group of plants called Acacias. This tree is unique because it can grow in places where many other plants struggle to survive.
What it Looks Like
This tree usually grows to be about 2 to 10 meters (6 to 33 feet) tall. It has grey bark that is rough and cracked, almost like it's made of fibers. Its branches are thin and smooth, sometimes hanging down. When new shoots grow, they have silvery hairs that make them look shiny.
Like most Acacia trees, Acacia distans doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has something called phyllodes. Phyllodes are like flattened leaf stems that do the job of leaves. These phyllodes are thin, tough, and grey-green. They can be straight or slightly curved, measuring about 6 to 15 centimeters (2.4 to 5.9 inches) long and 4 to 12 millimeters (0.16 to 0.47 inches) wide. They have fine lines, and one main line is clearer than the others.
This tree blooms between March and May, producing bright yellow flowers. The flowers grow in groups called "flower-spikes" that look like cylinders. These spikes can be up to 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) long and 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide, packed with golden flowers.
After the flowers, thin seed pods form. These pods are long and narrow, up to 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) wide. They are slightly bumpy where each seed is inside. The pods hold shiny, dark brown seeds that are about 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) long and shaped like an oval.
Where it Grows
Acacia distans is found in the Pilbara and Mid West regions of Western Australia. You can often find it in river beds, on flat, hard ground (called hardpans), and in areas that get flooded (floodplains). It grows well in different types of soil, like loam (a mix of sand, silt, and clay), clay, alluvium (soil left by flowing water), and red sandy soils.
This tree has a "discontinuous distribution," meaning it's not found everywhere in a continuous patch. Instead, it grows in separate areas. It's often seen near the beginnings of rivers, like the Fortescue, Gascoyne, and Murchison River. Here, it grows on flat plains made of river soil. It can be part of low woodlands or shrubland communities, and sometimes it even forms its own pure groups of trees.
