Hammond's wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hammond's wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
hammondii
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia hammondii, also called Hammond's wattle, is a type of tree or shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is a large group of plants. This plant naturally grows across the northern parts of Australia.
Contents
What Hammond's Wattle Looks Like
This plant can grow as a small tree or a shrub. It usually reaches a height of 2.5 to 5 metres (8 to 16 ft). Its bark can be smooth or have a rough, cracked look.
Branches and Leaves
The branches are often angled and feel a bit sticky because of resin. They can be smooth (which means glabrous) or have a few tiny hairs. You might also see small, raised spots called lenticels on them. These spots help the plant breathe.
Like many Acacia plants, Hammond's wattle does not have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes look and act like leaves. They are long and narrow, or shaped like a thin oval. They can be straight or slightly curved.
The phyllodes are thin but stiff. They measure 2.5 to 8.5 cm (0.98 to 3.35 in) long and 3 to 7.5 mm (0.12 to 0.30 in) wide. They have many tiny pores called stomates, which help the plant take in carbon dioxide. You can also see two main veins running down the middle of each phyllode.
Flowers and Seeds
Hammond's wattle blooms from May to July. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in cylinder-shaped spikes, about 1 to 2.3 cm (0.39 to 0.91 in) long.
After the flowers fade, seed pods begin to form. These pods are smooth and shaped like a knife or a narrow rectangle. They are straight along the sides. The pods are 3 to 6 cm (1.2 to 2.4 in) long and 5 to 8 mm (0.20 to 0.31 in) wide. They feel thin, like paper.
Inside the pods are dark brown or black seeds. Each seed is broadly oval-shaped and about 3.5 to 5 mm (0.14 to 0.20 in) wide. They have a pale, almost closed mark on them called an areole.
Where Hammond's Wattle Grows
Hammond's wattle is a plant that is endemic to northern Australia. This means it is found only in this tropical region. You can find it in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland.
Specific Locations
It grows as far west as the Kimberley area in Western Australia. It is quite common near the coast and just inland from the coast around the lower part of the Gulf of Carpentaria. This includes some islands off the coast.
However, it is less common further inland in the western Northern Territory. It is also less common in the eastern parts of Queensland.
Preferred Environment
This plant grows well in different types of soil. It can be found in sand, sandy loam, clay, and stony soils that are rich in iron (called lateritic soils). It often grows in open Eucalyptus woodlands. In these areas, you will see it scattered among the grassy plants on the ground.
