Acacia effusa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia effusa |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
effusa
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia effusa is a special kind of shrub. It belongs to a large group of plants called Acacias. This plant grows only in the northwestern part of Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
What Does Acacia effusa Look Like?
This shrub is thick and spreads out. It usually grows to be about 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3 feet) tall. Its bark is grey to reddish-grey. It peels off in small rolls, similar to "minni ritchi" bark.
The young branches are round and covered with thick, woolly hairs. As they get older, they become smoother. Like most Acacia plants, it has phyllodes instead of true leaves. Phyllodes are flattened leaf stems that act like leaves.
The phyllodes are always green and point upwards. They are shaped like an oval or a narrow oval. They are about 0.6 to 1.5 centimeters long and 2 to 7 millimeters wide. Each phyllode has a clear line down the middle. This plant blooms with yellow flowers from May to August.
How Was Acacia effusa Named?
The first official description of Acacia effusa was made by a botanist named Bruce Maslin. He described it in 1982. This description was part of his work on Acacia species in Western Australia. It was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma effusum. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group. So, its official name is Acacia effusa again.
Where Does Acacia effusa Grow?
This plant naturally grows in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. You can often find it on rocky slopes of low mountains. It prefers to grow in stony, red, loamy soils.
It has a small natural area where it grows. Most of these plants are found within the Hamersley Range National Park. It is very common on the lower parts of these slopes. This is especially true where small rivers and streams flow out of the mountains.
