Acacia exocarpoides facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Acacia exocarpoides
Scientific classification
Genus:	Acacia
Species:	exocarpoides
Where it grows in Australia (data from AVH)

Acacia exocarpoides is a type of shrub. It belongs to the large group of plants called Acacia, also known as wattles. This plant grows naturally in Western Australia.

What it Looks Like

This shrub often grows tall and narrow, like a broom. It usually reaches a height of 1 to 3 meters (about 3 to 10 feet). Its branches grow upwards and are mostly straight.

When the young branches first appear, they have thin lines on them and are a light grey or pale green color. The plant has special leaf-like structures called phyllodes. These are thin and stand upright. They are small, typically 8 to 18 millimeters long and only 1 millimeter wide. They have a narrow base and four small veins. These phyllodes often fall off.

Acacia exocarpoides produces bright yellow flowers. You can usually see these flowers blooming between June and August.

How it Got its Name

A botanist named William Vincent Fitzgerald first officially described this plant in 1904. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Additions to the West Australian Flora.

For a short time, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma exocarpoides. However, in 2006, it was moved back to its original name, Acacia exocarpoides.

Where it Grows

This plant is found only in certain parts of Western Australia. It grows in the Goldfields-Esperance, Wheatbelt, and Mid West regions.

You can find Acacia exocarpoides scattered across the dry, southwestern areas of Western Australia. It grows near towns like Meekatharra, and between Mullewa and Mount Magnet. It can also be found as far east as Rason Lake in the Great Victoria Desert.

This shrub prefers to grow on flat plains and rocky hills. It likes rocky clay soil. It is often found growing alongside other Acacia plants, especially a type called Acacia aneura, which is commonly known as mulga.