Acacia oraria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia oraria |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
oraria
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| Occurrence in Australia data from AVH | |
Acacia oraria, also commonly known as coastal wattle, is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the large Acacia family. This plant is special because it grows naturally (it's endemic) only in certain places. You can find it along the northeastern coast of Australia and on the islands of Flores and Timor.
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What Does Coastal Wattle Look Like?
This tree usually grows to be about 3 to 10 meters (10 to 33 feet) tall. Its trunk can be around 30 centimeters (12 inches) wide at chest height. The tree has a wide, spreading shape, and its top part (called the canopy) can reach up to 6 meters (20 feet) across.
The bark of the coastal wattle is rough and has cracks. Its younger branches are covered in a white, powdery layer. Like many Acacia species, it doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has flattened leaf stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are smooth and stay green all year. They are shaped like an oval or a narrow ellipse, about 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long and 1.5 to 3.5 centimeters (0.6 to 1.4 inches) wide. Each phyllode has at least three main veins that are far apart.
When the coastal wattle blooms, it produces small, round clusters of flowers. These flower clusters grow from the leaf axils (the spot where a leaf or phyllode meets the stem). Each cluster is about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide and holds 30 to 45 cream to pale yellow flowers.
After the flowers, the tree grows seed pods. These pods are twisted or coiled and have a powdery coating. They can be up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) long and 0.9 to 1.5 centimeters (0.35 to 0.6 inches) wide. Inside the pods are dull black seeds. Each seed is about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide. A thick, reddish stalk, called a funicle, wraps around each seed.
Where Does Coastal Wattle Grow?
The coastal wattle is found in tropical areas of Australia and Southeast Asia. This includes the island of Flores in Indonesia and the island of Timor. In Australia, it grows near the coast in Far North Queensland and northeast Queensland. It appears in several separate groups (called disjunct populations).
You can find this plant from sea level up to about 500 meters (1,640 feet) high. It lives in many different places, such as beaches, open forests, and along creeks and rivers. Sometimes, it also grows at the edges of monsoon forests (forests that get a lot of rain during certain seasons) and dry rainforests.
How Was Coastal Wattle Named?
The coastal wattle was first officially described by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller in 1879. He included it in his work called Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Later, in 1986, another botanist, Leslie Pedley, reclassified it and gave it a different scientific name, Racosperma orarium. However, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group, which is its current classification.
What Is Coastal Wattle Used For?
In Indonesia, the coastal wattle is planted as a street tree or as an ornamental plant in gardens. It's known to grow back well after being cut down (this is called coppicing).
This tree has a special relationship with certain bacteria. These bacteria live in small bumps (called nodules) on the tree's roots. They help the tree by taking nitrogen from the air and changing it into a form that the soil can use. This process is called nitrogen fixation, and it makes the soil healthier.
Like most Acacia species, the bark of the coastal wattle contains substances called tannins. Tannins are astringent, meaning they can make tissues shrink or tighten. In traditional medicine, the bark has been used to help treat stomach problems like diarrhoea and dysentery.
