Acacia newbeyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia newbeyi |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
newbeyi
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia newbeyi is a type of shrub, a bushy plant, that belongs to the Acacia family. It is found only in a specific part of southwestern Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
What Does It Look Like?
This Acacia is a shrub that grows openly, meaning its branches spread out. It can grow from 0.3 to 1 metre (1 to 3 ft) tall. Its small branches are a bit prickly and have tiny hairs.
The leaves of Acacia newbeyi are mostly smooth, without hairs. Each leaf has one pair of small leaf sections called pinnae. These are about 1.5 to 2.5 mm (0.059 to 0.098 in) long.
On these pinnae, there are two pairs of grey-green pinnules. Pinnules are like tiny leaflets. They are slightly thick and shaped like an oblong or an oval. Each pinnule is about 2 to 5 mm (0.079 to 0.197 in) long and 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) wide. They narrow down unevenly at the tip.
This plant blooms, or flowers, between July and August. It produces pretty yellow flowers. The flowers grow in small, round clusters called flower-heads. Each flower-head is spherical and contains 10 to 13 pale yellow flowers. These flower-heads are found on single stalks called racemes.
After the flowers bloom, thin, leathery, and hairy seed pods form. These pods are about 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) long and 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in) wide. Inside the pods are shiny seeds. The seeds are shaped like an oblong or an ellipse and are about 2 to 2.5 mm (0.079 to 0.098 in) long.
How Was It Named?
The plant Acacia newbeyi was officially described for the first time by a botanist named Bruce Maslin. This happened in 1975. He included his description in a scientific paper called Studies in the genus Acacia (Mimosaceae) - A Revision of Series Pulchellae. This paper was published in a journal called Nuytsia.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma newbeyi. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group, so its name became Acacia newbeyi again.
Where Does It Grow?
Acacia newbeyi is native to, meaning it naturally grows in, parts of Western Australia. You can find it in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions.
It prefers to grow in gravelly soils that are rich in a type of soil called laterite. The plant's range stretches from around Nyabing to near Boxwood Hill in the west. It also grows west of Ravensthorpe in the east.
In these areas, Acacia newbeyi is often part of tall shrubland communities. These are areas where many shrubs grow together. These communities are often dominated by a type of eucalyptus tree called mallee.
