Yellowdine wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellowdine wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
rossei
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia rossei, also known as Yellowdine wattle, is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia plant family. This plant is special because it grows naturally only in the southwestern part of Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
What Does It Look Like?
The Yellowdine wattle is a tall, thin shrub. It usually grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. Its branches are not very dense and feel a bit sticky. The small branches are smooth. They have tiny bumps where the "leaves" used to be. It also has small, pointy parts called stipules, which are about 2.4 to 4.5 millimeters long.
Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are thick and stay green all year. They grow close together on the branches. They are long and thin, either straight or slightly curved. Each phyllode is about 1 to 3 centimeters long and 1 to 1.5 millimeters wide. They have a sticky main vein and other veins on the underside.
The Yellowdine wattle blooms from August to January. It produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in round clusters, like little balls. Each cluster is packed with 65 to 75 golden flowers.
After the flowers, seed pods grow. These pods are tough and shaped like narrow rectangles. They are about 2.5 to 5 centimeters long and 7 to 11 millimeters wide. The pods have rough, brown bumps on them. Inside the pods are oblong or oval-shaped seeds. Each seed is about 4 to 5 millimeters long.
How It Got Its Name
The Yellowdine wattle was first officially described in 1893. A botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it its scientific name. He wrote about it in a publication called The Victorian Naturalist.
Later, another botanist, Leslie Pedley, changed its name to Racosperma rossei. But in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group. This plant looks a lot like Acacia glutinosissima. It is also thought to be related to Acacia handonis, which grows in Queensland. Acacia handonis has similar bumps on its seed pods.
Where Does It Grow?
This shrub grows naturally in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance areas of Western Australia. It often grows on sandy plains. These areas have sandy soils that contain a lot of iron, called lateritic soils.
You can find the Yellowdine wattle from Kellerberrin in the west to Hyden in the south. It also grows near Yellowdine in the east. It often grows in places where the land has been disturbed, like along roadsides. It can grow back well after bushfires. This wattle is usually part of tall shrubland communities.
Growing Your Own Wattle
The Yellowdine wattle is sold in plant nurseries. People like it because its flowers are very pretty. If you want to grow it, it likes an open spot with lots of sunshine. It needs light soil that drains water well. This plant can handle a bit of frost and is good at surviving drought conditions.
