Acacia loxophylla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia loxophylla |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
loxophylla
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia loxophylla is a type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia family. It is a special plant because it grows naturally only in a certain part of southwestern Australia. This means it is an endemic species.
About the Acacia loxophylla
This shrub is usually very bushy. It grows to be about 0.3 to 0.9 meters (about 1 to 3 feet) tall. Its branches are often smooth and sometimes a bit sticky. Like most Acacia plants, it has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes instead of true leaves.
These phyllodes are smooth and stay green all year. They are shaped like wide ovals or long ovals. Each one is about 3 to 8 millimeters long and 2 to 5 millimeters wide. They have two to four veins on each side.
The flowers grow in groups called inflorescences. These flower groups appear alone or in pairs. Each flower group has round flower-heads that are about 4 to 5 millimeters across. They contain 20 to 39 yellow flowers. After the flowers bloom, seed pods form. These pods are covered in white hairs and are curved or straight.
Naming and History
The Acacia loxophylla was first officially described in 1855. A botanist named George Bentham gave it its name. This happened in a scientific paper called Plantae Muellerianae: Mimoseae.
Later, in 2003, another scientist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma loxophyllum. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group. So, its official name is Acacia loxophylla again.
Where It Grows
This plant naturally grows in certain areas of Western Australia. These areas include the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, and Goldfields-Esperance regions.
You can find it growing in soils that are sandy or a mix of sand and clay. It is spread out in different spots. For example, it grows near Pingelly in the northwest. It also grows near Ongerup in the south.
