Acacia sericata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia sericata |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
sericata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia sericata is a special kind of shrub or tree found only in northern Australia. It belongs to a big family of plants called Acacia, which are also known as wattles. This plant is unique to its home, meaning it doesn't grow naturally anywhere else in the world.
What Does Acacia sericata Look Like?
This plant usually grows as a thick shrub or a small tree. It can reach a height of about 2.5 to 7 metres (8 to 23 ft), but some can grow as tall as 10 m (33 ft). Its bark is rough and has cracks, and its small branches are hairy.
Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has flattened leaf stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are thin and leathery. They are shaped like an egg or a sickle, and they are not perfectly even on both sides. Each phyllode is about 8 to 15 cm (3.1 to 5.9 in) long and 2 to 6 cm (0.79 to 2.36 in) wide. They have three or four main veins that are far apart.
The flowers grow in round clusters, like small balls. Each flower cluster is about 5 mm (0.20 in) across and holds 30 white flowers. After the flowers bloom, flat, woody seed pods form. These pods are smooth and can be up to 14 cm (5.5 in) long and 2.2 to 3.5 cm (0.87 to 1.38 in) wide. They also have narrow wings along their edges. Inside the pods are dull brown seeds with black edges. The seeds are about 9 to 10 mm (0.35 to 0.39 in) long and have a large, fleshy part called an aril attached to them.
How Was Acacia sericata Named?
The first official description of Acacia sericata was made by a botanist named Allan Cunningham in 1842. This description was part of a larger work by George Bentham and William Jackson Hooker. Their work was published in a science journal called the London Journal of Botany.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley changed its name to Racosperma sericatum. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group, which is its current name.
Where Does Acacia sericata Grow?
This plant is found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It often grows on high, flat areas called plateaus and on rocky hillsides. These areas can have rocks made of quartzite, sandstone, or laterite.
The plant's home stretches from the Isdell River in the west to the Drysdale River area in the northeast. You can also find it growing along sandy river banks. It is part of open woodlands, open forests, and shrubland communities in these areas.
