Acacia drepanocarpa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia drepanocarpa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
drepanocarpa
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia drepanocarpa is a type of shrub that grows in northern Australia. It belongs to a large group of plants called Acacia, which are often known as wattles. This shrub is part of a special subgroup of wattles called Juliflorae.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
This shrub usually grows to be about 0.9 to 4 meters (3 to 13 feet) tall. It has yellow flowers that bloom between May and August. The plant has a sticky, resinous feel. Its small branches are yellowish and often have tiny ridges. They are also glabrous, meaning they are smooth and hairless.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of Acacia drepanocarpa are evergreen. They are shaped like long, narrow ovals, measuring 2.5 to 13 centimeters (1 to 5 inches) long. They are about 1.5 to 12.5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.5 inches) wide. These leaves, called phyllodes, have three to five raised lines, or nerves, on them.
The flowers grow in spikes that are 1.5 to 4.5 centimeters (0.6 to 1.8 inches) long. They can be pale or bright yellow.
Seed Pods
After the flowers bloom, seed pods form. These pods are flat and shaped like a narrow spoon. They are about 5 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3.5 inches) long and 5.5 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.35 inches) wide. The pods are smooth and thick. They can be leathery or slightly woody. They have slanted nerves and are covered in a sticky resin. When they are ready, the pods open up from the top to release the seeds.
The seeds inside are dark brown. They are arranged at an angle and are shaped like narrow ovals. Each seed is about 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.
How Was It Named?
The plant was first officially described by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Contributiones ad Acaciarum Australiae Cognitionem. This paper was published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society.
Sometimes, Acacia drepanocarpa is confused with another similar plant called Acacia polyadenia. A. drepanocarpa is part of a group of wattles known as the Acacia stigmatophylla group.
Subspecies
There are two types, or subspecies, of Acacia drepanocarpa that scientists recognize:
- Acacia drepanocarpa subsp. drepanocarpa
- Acacia drepanocarpa subsp. latifolia
Where Does It Grow?
This shrub is found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It also grows in the top end of the Northern Territory. You can find it in western and central Queensland too.
It likes to grow on gently rolling plains called pindan plains. These areas have red, sandy, and gravelly soils. Its range stretches from south of Broome in the west. It goes as far east as Barkley Downs Station in western Queensland.
