Scrub ironbark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scrub ironbark |
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| A. facsiculifera flowers and foliage | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
fasciculifera
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia fasciculifera, also known as scrub ironbark, is a tree that belongs to the Acacia plant family. It is found only in certain parts of Queensland, Australia. People sometimes call it "rosewood" too.
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What is Scrub Ironbark?
This tree can grow quite tall, reaching up to 10 to 20 meters (about 33 to 66 feet) high. It forms a thick, leafy top, like a big umbrella. Its branches are flexible and hang down. They are also very smooth, meaning they don't have any hairs.
The leaves of the scrub ironbark are light green. They are shaped like long, narrow ovals. These leaves can be from 4 to 15 centimeters (about 1.5 to 6 inches) long and 7 to 20 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide. You can easily see a main line down the middle of each leaf.
Scrub ironbark trees usually bloom in the summer, from November to March. Their flowers grow in groups of two to eight, often appearing where the leaves meet the stem. The flower-heads are round and have 20 to 40 cream-coloured flowers.
After the flowers, thin, leathery seed pods grow. These pods can be up to 12.5 centimeters (about 5 inches) long and 10 to 13 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. They have a clear line along their edge. Inside the pods are slightly shiny, dark brown seeds. These seeds are flat and can be oval or round, measuring about 6 to 7 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.
How Scrub Ironbark Got Its Name
The scrub ironbark tree was first officially described by a botanist named George Bentham in 1864. This happened in a big book called Flora Australiensis. Later, in 1987, another botanist, Leslie Pedley, gave it a different name, Racosperma fasciculiferum. But in 2001, it was moved back to the Acacia group. It was also once known by another name, Acacia penninervis var. stenophylla.
Where Does Scrub Ironbark Grow?
You can find the scrub ironbark tree in Queensland, Australia. It grows from a town called Boonah in the south, all the way up to Bowen in the north. Most of these trees are found between Boonah and Rockhampton.
These trees like to grow on ridges and along creek lines. They are often part of Eucalyptus woodland areas, living alongside other native Australian trees.
Images for kids
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Acacia fasciculifera flowers and leaves
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Map showing where Acacia fasciculifera grows
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Bridelia exaltata foliage
