Acacia pachyphylla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia pachyphylla |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
pachyphylla
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia pachyphylla is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, also known as wattles. This plant is special because it grows naturally only in the southwestern part of Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one specific area, it is called endemic.
About the Plant
This wattle is a small, spreading shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.1 to 0.3 meters (4 to 12 inches) tall. It has many smooth stems that do not have hairs. The branchlets are light grey, turning reddish at their tips. Small leaf-like parts called stipules stay on the plant; they are about 1.5 to 3 millimeters long.
Like most Acacia species, this plant has phyllodes instead of true leaves. Phyllodes are flattened leaf stalks that look and act like leaves. The grey-green phyllodes on the upper branches are narrow, about 1 to 3 millimeters wide. The thicker phyllodes on the lower branches fall off easily. These are shaped like a spoon and are 2 to 7 millimeters long and 1 to 7.5 millimeters wide.
The Acacia pachyphylla blooms from October to December. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in round clusters, like small balls. Each flower cluster is about 6 to 8 millimeters across and holds 36 to 53 golden flowers.
After the flowers, the plant forms seed pods. These pods are hard and bony. They can grow up to 8.5 centimeters (about 3.3 inches) long and 6 to 8 millimeters wide. The pods have a fine white powdery coating. Inside, the seeds are dark brown to black. They are oblong or broadly oval-shaped, about 4.5 to 5 millimeters long. Each seed has a cap-shaped part called an aril at its end.
Where It Grows
This shrub is found along the southern coast of Western Australia. It grows in a region known as Goldfields-Esperance. You can often find it on flat or gently rolling sandy areas. It also grows along the edges of salt lakes.
The plant prefers sandy soils, sometimes over or near limestone. It can also grow in sandy-loamy, clay, or gravelly soils. Most of these plants are found from Young River in the west to Israelite Bay in the east. They can extend as far as 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) north. This wattle often grows as part of open shrubland communities, mixed with other small plants.
