Acacia stipulosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia stipulosa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
stipulosa
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia stipulosa is a type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia family. It is a special plant because it grows naturally only in certain parts of northern Australia. This means it is an endemic species, found nowhere else in the world.
What the Acacia Stipulosa Looks Like
This prickly shrub often feels sticky, which is why it's called "viscid." It usually grows up to about 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall. Its small branches are round like cylinders and are covered with stiff hairs. It also has small leaf-like parts called stipules that stay on the plant and are about 4 millimeters long.
Like many Acacia plants, Acacia stipulosa does not have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are always green and feel a bit leathery. They are crowded together and point upwards. Each phyllode is shaped like a broad oval or triangle, about 4 to 8 millimeters long and 2 to 5 millimeters wide. They have three or four (sometimes more) slightly raised lines, which are like veins.
The plant blooms in July, producing bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in simple groups called inflorescences. Each group is a round ball, about 8 to 10 millimeters across, and contains 30 to 40 golden flowers. These flower balls grow by themselves where the leaves meet the stem, which is called the axil.
After the flowers, flat, hard seed pods grow. These pods are long and narrow, up to about 8 centimeters (3 inches) long and 5 to 9 millimeters wide. They can be straight or curved and are slightly raised over each seed inside. The seeds are arranged diagonally and are oval-shaped, about 4 millimeters long. Each seed has a small, fleshy cap at its tip called an aril.
How the Acacia Stipulosa Was Named
The Acacia stipulosa was first officially described by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Contributiones ad Acaciarum Australiae Cognitionem, which was published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society.
Later, in 1987, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified the plant. He moved it to a different group and called it Racosperma stipulosum. However, in 2001, it was moved back to the Acacia group, where it remains today.
Where the Acacia Stipulosa Grows
This special plant is found naturally in specific areas of the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It likes to grow in sandy soils, especially where there is sandstone rock underneath.
You can find Acacia stipulosa from the far eastern part of the Kimberley in the west, all the way to the upper area of the Victoria River near Winnecke Creek and the Gardiner Range in the Northern Territory. It often grows as part of shrubland or woodland communities, sharing its home with other shrubs and trees.
