Acacia scopulorum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia scopulorum |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
scopulorum
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
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Racosperma scopulorum (Pedley) Pedley |
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Acacia scopulorum is a type of plant, a bit like a wattle, found only in the Northern Territory of Australia. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is also known as Fabaceae. This plant is special because it only grows in certain rocky areas.
Contents
What Does Acacia scopulorum Look Like?
Acacia scopulorum can grow as a tree or a large bush. It can reach up to 5 meters (about 16 feet) tall. Sometimes, its branches spread out wide.
- Branches: The smaller branches are smooth and have a dark red color. They are also a bit angular, meaning they have slight edges.
- Leaves: The leaves are not typical flat leaves. Instead, they are called phyllodes. These phyllodes are smooth and shaped like a narrow spear or a sickle (a curved blade). They are about 7 to 11 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) long and 4.5 to 6 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide. Each phyllode has 8 to 14 lines running along its length.
- Flowers: The flowers are yellow and grow in spikes. These spikes are about 3.5 to 4.5 centimeters (1.4 to 1.8 inches) long. They grow in pairs where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has four parts.
- Pods: After flowering, the plant produces smooth seed pods. These pods are straight or slightly curved. They can be up to 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. You can see a network of lines on the pods, and their edges are thicker.
- Seeds: Inside the pods, the seeds are small, about 2 to 2.5 millimeters long. They have a small, yellow, cup-shaped part called an aril.
When Does It Flower and Fruit?
Acacia scopulorum has been seen flowering from December to April. This means you can spot its yellow flowers during the Australian summer and autumn. It produces fruit (the seed pods) from January to May, and sometimes even in July.
Where Does Acacia scopulorum Grow?
This special plant is only found in a specific area of the Northern Territory. It grows in the upper parts of the rivers that flow into Nourlangie Creek. This area is inside Kakadu National Park.
You can find Acacia scopulorum growing in sandy and gravelly soils on slopes. It also likes to grow in cracks and crevices within the sandstone rocks.
What Does Its Name Mean?
The second part of its scientific name, scopulorum, comes from a Latin word, scopulus. This word means "a rock" or "a cliff." So, the name Acacia scopulorum tells us that this plant loves to grow on rocks and cliffs!
