Acacia roycei facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia roycei |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
roycei
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
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Racosperma roycei |
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Acacia roycei is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is also known as wattles. This plant is special because it only grows in a specific part of western Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one area, it's called endemic.
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What Acacia roycei Looks Like
This dense shrub or small tree usually grows between 1 to 6 metres (3 to 20 ft) tall. Its branches often have tiny hairs and new shoots that are pale yellow.
Special Leaves Called Phyllodes
Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes. These phyllodes are stiff, grey-green, and shaped like cylinders. They can be straight or slightly curved. Each one is about 4 to 8 cm (1.6 to 3.1 in) long and 1 to 1.5 mm (0.039 to 0.059 in) wide. They have 12 to 16 small, slightly raised lines, which are like veins.
Flowers and Seed Pods
Acacia roycei blooms from August to October. During this time, it produces bright yellow flowers. The flowers grow in simple groups called inflorescences. These flower groups appear by themselves or in pairs where the leaves meet the stem (this spot is called the axil). Each flower group is a round ball, about 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) across. These balls are packed with 55 to 75 golden-colored flowers.
After the flowers, the plant forms seed pods. These pods are smooth (which means glabrous), thin like paper (which means chartaceous), and range from yellow-brown to pale brown. They have bumps where the seeds are and are slightly squeezed between each seed. The pods are strongly curved and can be up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long and 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 in) wide.
How Acacia roycei Got Its Name
The first official description of Acacia roycei was made by a botanist named Bruce Maslin in 1977. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified the plant. He moved it to a different group, calling it Racosperma roycei. However, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group, where it remains today.
Where Acacia roycei Grows
This plant is found naturally in several regions of Western Australia. These areas include the Mid West, Gascoyne, and Wheatbelt regions.
It usually grows in sandy soils or sandy-loam soils on flat, sandy areas called sandplains. You can find Acacia roycei from Ajana in the south, stretching north to around Towrana Station, and south of Gascoyne Junction. In these places, it often grows as part of dense Acacia scrubland communities.
