Kundip wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kundip wattle |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
rhamphophylla
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The Kundip wattle (Acacia rhamphophylla) is a special type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia family. It's a small plant found only in a tiny part of southwestern Australia. This makes it an "endemic" species, meaning it naturally lives only in that specific area. Sadly, the Kundip wattle is an endangered species, which means it's at high risk of disappearing forever. It's protected by a law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
What Does Kundip Wattle Look Like?
The Kundip wattle is a low, spreading shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.2 to 0.4 meters (about 8 to 16 inches) tall. It can spread out to be 0.4 to 1.1 meters (about 1 to 3.5 feet) wide.
Its branches are thin and dark grey, with small hairs. It has tiny, curved parts called stipules, which are about 5 to 7 millimeters long. Like many Acacia plants, the Kundip wattle doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has "phyllodes." These are flattened stems that look and act like leaves.
The phyllodes are smooth and dark green. They grow close together on the branches. Each phyllode is long and narrow, about 11 to 17 millimeters long and 1 to 1.5 millimeters wide. They are narrower at the bottom and have a clear ridge down the middle. This wattle blooms from August to September, showing off its bright yellow flowers.
How Scientists Classify Kundip Wattle
Scientists group living things into categories. This helps us understand how different plants and animals are related. The Kundip wattle is known to be closely related to a few other Acacia species. These include Acacia laricina, Acacia cedroides, and Acacia pusilla. Knowing these relationships helps scientists study and protect the species better.
Where Does Kundip Wattle Live?
The Kundip wattle is native to a small area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It likes to grow in rocky, sandy clay soils. You can often find it on higher parts of low hills. It grows as part of open plant communities called "mallee scrub."
Its home is very limited, mainly found in the Ravensthorpe Range. Some of these areas are on vacant government land, and some are even part of mining leases. In 1992, experts counted over 100 individual Kundip wattle plants. Because its habitat is so small, it's very important to protect this special plant.
