Acacia pycnocephala facts for kids
Acacia pycnocephala is a type of shrub from the Acacia plant family. It's a special plant because it only grows in the southwestern part of Australia. This means it's endemic to that area, found nowhere else in the world!
Quick facts for kids Acacia pycnocephala |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
pycnocephala
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
What it Looks Like
This Acacia is a thin, prickly shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.25 to 0.6 metres (0.8 to 2.0 ft) tall. It can grow straight up or spread out. Its branches are orange to reddish-brown. The smaller twigs, called branchlets, are a bit hairy.
The plant has tiny, pointed parts called stipules, which are about 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) long. Like many Acacia plants, it doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has phyllodes. These are flattened leaf stems that act like leaves.
The phyllodes are smooth and stiff. They are olive green and have a sharp point. They grow close together on the branchlets. Each phyllode is shaped like a small trowel. They are about 6 to 11 mm (0.24 to 0.43 in) long and 1.5 to 4 mm (0.059 to 0.157 in) wide. You can see a clear line down the middle, but no side veins.
Flowers and Seeds
Acacia pycnocephala blooms from May to September. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in round clusters, called flowerheads. Each flowerhead has four golden-colored flowers. They grow by themselves where the leaves meet the stem.
After the flowers bloom, seed pods start to form. These pods are curved and narrow at both ends. They can be up to 4.5 cm (1.8 in) long and about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide. The pods are reddish-brown and have small ridges and tiny hairs.
Inside the pods, the seeds are lined up. They are oblong or oval-shaped. Each seed is about 3.5 to 4.5 mm (0.14 to 0.18 in) long. They also have a cone-shaped attachment called an aril.
Plant Family
This shrub is part of a group of Acacia plants. This group is known as the Acacia horridula group of wattles.
Where it Grows
This plant is found in several regions of Western Australia. These areas include the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West, and Goldfields-Esperance regions.
It likes to grow in sandy or loamy soils. These soils often contain a type of reddish soil called laterite. You can find this plant from Narrogin in the northwest to Rocky Gully in the southwest. Its range also stretches to Beaufort Inlet in the southeast and Lake King in the northeast.
It grows in many different plant communities. But it is most often found in Mallee shrubland. This is a type of bushland with small, multi-stemmed trees. It also grows in open woodlands where Eucalyptus wandoo trees are common.
