Acacia rubricaulis facts for kids

Acacia rubricaulis is a type of shrub that belongs to the large Acacia family. It's found only in a small part of northeastern Australia. This plant was officially named by Leslie Pedley.

What Acacia rubricaulis Looks Like

This shrub usually grows to be about 2 to 6 meters tall. That's like the height of a small tree! Its branches are strong and have a shiny, dark red color. They are also glabrous, which means they are smooth and have no hairs. The branches often point upwards.

Like many Acacia plants, Acacia rubricaulis doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes. These phyllodes are always green. They are shaped like an oval or an ellipse and can be straight or slightly curved, like a sickle. These phyllodes are also smooth and hairless. They are about 13.5 to 19 centimeters long and 22 to 44 millimeters wide. They have three main lines (nerves) running along them that are easier to see than the others.

When the plant blooms, it produces simple flower clusters called inflorescences. These grow in pairs where the leaf-like parts meet the stem, which is called the axil. The flowers grow in cylindrical spikes that are quite dense. These spikes are usually 40 to 60 millimeters long, but some can grow up to 100 millimeters.

After the flowers, flat, smooth seed pods form. These pods are narrow and oblong. They are about 5 to 6 millimeters long and 7 to 10 millimeters wide.

Where Acacia rubricaulis Grows

This plant is endemic to a specific area, meaning it's found only there. It grows in the northern part of the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. You can find it in sandy areas like old sand dunes, large sandy fields, and along the banks of creeks. It prefers to grow in sandy soils.