Acacia polyadenia facts for kids

Acacia polyadenia is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the large group of plants called Acacias. This plant is found only in the northeastern parts of Australia.

What it Looks Like

The Acacia polyadenia can grow as a low, spreading shrub or a small tree. Its young branches are smooth and slender. They have a reddish-brown color and feel a bit sticky, like they have resin.

Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes. These phyllodes are always green. They are shaped like a narrow oval and can be slightly curved. Each phyllode is about 4 to 8.5 centimeters (about 1.5 to 3.3 inches) long. They are also about 3 to 5 centimeters (about 1.2 to 2 inches) wide. Young phyllodes are sticky with resin. They have a pointed tip and between 7 and 14 veins on each side. One vein in the middle is very easy to see.

When the plant blooms, it grows simple flower clusters. These clusters appear alone or in pairs where the phyllodes meet the stem. The flowers are yellow and grow in bands on cylinder-shaped spikes. These flower spikes are about 10 to 20 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.8 inches) long.

After the flowers, woody seed pods grow. These pods are narrow and somewhat spoon-shaped. They are narrower at the bottom. The pods are sticky with resin and are about 4.5 centimeters (about 1.8 inches) long. They have thick edges and faint lines running along them.

How it Was Named

This plant was first officially described in 1987. A botanist named Leslie Pedley gave it the name Racosperma polyadenium. This description was part of his work published in a science journal called Austrobaileya. Later, in 1990, it was moved into the Acacia group of plants. People sometimes confuse this species with another plant called Acacia drepanocarpa.

Where it Lives

Acacia polyadenia is endemic to a few islands off Central Queensland. This means it is only found naturally in these specific places. Some of these islands include Shaw Island (part of the Lindeman Group), Palm Island, and Whitsunday Island. On these islands, you can find it growing on hillsides. It likes to grow in areas with low, shrubby plants called heathland. It prefers sandy soils close to the beach.