Acacia minyura facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia minyura |
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| A. minyura habit | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
minyura
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia minyura is a special type of tree or shrub that belongs to the Acacia family. It is found only in the dry, central parts of Australia. This plant is known for its unique look and how it survives in tough desert conditions.
What does Acacia minyura look like?
This amazing plant can grow as a spreading tree or a shrub with many stems. It usually reaches a height of 1 to 5 meters (about 3 to 16 feet) and can spread out just as wide. Its branches have large, sticky ridges that are covered in a blue-grey resin when they are new.
The leaves of Acacia minyura are not like typical leaves. They are actually flattened leaf stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are flat, green, and can be straight or slightly curved. They are about 5 to 30 millimeters long (0.2 to 1.2 inches) and 2 to 4 millimeters wide (0.08 to 0.16 inches). You can see clear veins on them.
This plant blooms from May to August, showing off bright yellow flowers. The flowers grow in simple spikes, usually one spike in the spot where a leaf meets the stem. Each flower-spike is about 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long.
After the flowers, flat, oblong, brown seed pods form. These pods can be up to 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) long and 11 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. They have small wings, about 1 to 2 millimeters long. Inside the pods are oblong seeds, which are 4 to 5 millimeters long. Each seed has a small, creamy aril, which is a fleshy covering.
How was Acacia minyura named?
The plant was first officially described by a botanist named Barbara Rae Randell in 1992. This description was part of her work called Mulga. A revision of the major species, published in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma minyura. However, in 2014, it was moved back to the Acacia family. People often confuse Acacia minyura with another similar plant called Acacia aneura.
Where does Acacia minyura grow?
Acacia minyura is found in the dry regions of central Australia. It grows in the Pilbara and Goldfields-Esperance areas of Western Australia. Here, you can find it scattered from around Newman in the north down to Menzies in the south.
It likes to grow on granite hills, rocky areas, and also on flat plains. You can find it in red sand, loam (a type of soil), or lateritic soils (red, iron-rich soils). Its range also extends into the southern parts of the Northern Territory and the northern parts of South Australia. You can even find some isolated groups of these plants in southwestern Queensland.
