Western red mulga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Western red mulga |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
rhodophloia
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia rhodophloia, often called minni ritchi or western red mulga, is a special type of tree or shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family. This plant is found only in a large, dry area in central western Australia. The Kurrama people, an Indigenous group, call this plant mantaru.
What Does the Western Red Mulga Look Like?
This amazing tree or shrub can grow to different sizes. It usually reaches about 1.5 to 4 meters (5 to 13 feet) tall, but some can grow as high as 6 meters (20 feet)!
- Stems and Branches: Older plants often have a few main stems that spread out near the ground. Their upper branches form a wide, flat top. Younger plants, with many stems, tend to be more rounded.
- Special Bark: The main stems and branches have beautiful red bark. This bark curls back on itself in small scrolls, which is why it's called "minni ritchi" bark.
- Leaves (Phyllodes): Like many Acacia species, this plant doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has phyllodes. These are like flattened leaf stalks that act like leaves. They are tough and firm, shaped like narrow ellipses or rectangles, and can be 2 to 10 centimeters (0.8 to 4 inches) long and 2 to 13 millimeters (0.08 to 0.5 inches) wide. They are usually dull green to grey-green and can be straight or slightly curved. They have many thin lines (nerves) running along them.
- Flowers: The western red mulga blooms at different times, usually from May to October, or after a lot of rain. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in dense, round or cylinder-shaped clusters called inflorescences. Each cluster is about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long and 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
- Seed Pods: After flowering, flat, thin seed pods form. They are light grey to brown, 4 to 9 centimeters (1.6 to 3.5 inches) long, and 3 to 6 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide. Inside these pods are shiny, dark brown to black seeds. Each seed is about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) long and has a small white attachment called an aril.
How Scientists Named the Western Red Mulga
The Acacia rhodophloia was first officially described in 1980 by a scientist named Bruce Maslin. He wrote about it in a scientific journal.
- Changing Names: In 2003, another botanist, Leslie Pedley, reclassified it. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group.
- Meaning of the Name: The second part of its scientific name, rhodophloia, comes from two Greek words:
- rhodo- means "rose red"
- phloios means "bark"
This name perfectly describes the plant's beautiful red bark!
This plant is related to a few other Acacia species, like Acacia adsurgens and Acacia kempeana. However, its unique bark makes it easy to tell apart from its relatives.
Where Does the Western Red Mulga Grow?
The western red mulga is found in a large area across the Northern Territory and several regions of Western Australia. These regions include the Pilbara, Goldfields, Mid West, and Kimberley.
- Preferred Habitats: You can often find this plant growing on rocky areas like granite outcrops, sandy plains, and rocky hills. It likes sandy or gravelly soils, but also red-brown loamy or clay soils.
- Plant Communities: It often grows as part of Mulga communities, which are groups of different Acacia trees. Sometimes, it forms small, almost pure stands of just western red mulga. It can also be found with scrub heath plants, Casuarina trees, or commonly with spinifex grasses.
- Range: Its range extends into the Northern Territory, reaching areas like the Ehrenberg Range and Docker Creek. One group of these plants has even been found in South Australia, north of Tarcoola.
