Maslin's wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maslin's wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
masliniana
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Maslin's wattle (also known as Acacia masliniana) is a special type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is famous for its wattles. This plant is found only in the dry, desert-like areas of western Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one specific place, we call it endemic.
What Maslin's Wattle Looks Like
This rounded shrub usually grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. It has grey bark that looks a bit like tough fibers. Its branches and main stem can look twisted or "gnarled."
The smaller branches, called branchlets, are round and smooth. Sometimes, the very tips of these branchlets can be a little bit hairy.
Instead of regular leaves, Maslin's wattle has something called phyllodes. Many Acacia plants have these. Phyllodes are like flattened leaf stems that do the job of leaves. For Maslin's wattle, these phyllodes are:
- Strong and stiff
- Grey-green in color
- Point upwards or stand straight
- Can be straight or slightly curved
- Measure about 5 to 13.5 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) long
- Are about 1.3 millimeters (0.05 inches) thick
Maslin's wattle blooms, or flowers, between July and September. When it blooms, it produces bright yellow flowers.
How Maslin's Wattle Got Its Name
The scientific name for this shrub, Acacia masliniana, was given to honor a botanist named Bruce Maslin. Botanists are scientists who study plants.
Maslin's wattle has phyllodes that look similar to another wattle called Acacia kalgoorliensis. It also looks a bit like Acacia donaldsonii and Acacia rigens from a distance.
Where Maslin's Wattle Grows
Maslin's wattle is found in the Mid West and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. It likes to grow in certain places, such as:
- Along the edges of marshes
- Near salty lakes
- On flat areas
It prefers to grow in clay or loamy soils. You can often find it as part of open scrubland communities, which are areas with scattered shrubs and small trees.
This wattle is spread out in different spots. Most of the plants are found between Twin Peaks, Cue, Perenjori, and Youanmi. There are also some smaller groups of plants found near Kalgoorlie.
