Acacia subcontorta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia subcontorta |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
subcontorta
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia subcontorta 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 naturally in central and central western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
What it Looks Like
This shrub or tree often has many stems. It usually grows to be about 1 to 8 meters (3 to 26 feet) tall. It has a rounded top that spreads out, measuring 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) wide. As the plant gets older, its top becomes less dense.
The main stems, or trunks, often look twisted or "contorted." They are about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) wide at chest height. The main branches also look twisted and spread out sideways.
The bark is thin and grey. It feels like it has fibers and has long cracks along the main branches and trunks. The small branches are round and smooth, without hairs. They have faint ridges and are light brown at their tips.
Like most Acacia plants, Acacia subcontorta has phyllodes instead of true leaves. Phyllodes are flattened leaf stalks that act like leaves. These phyllodes stay green all year. They are somewhat leathery to stiff and are long and narrow, or shaped like a narrow oval. They are 6 to 11 centimeters (2.4 to 4.3 inches) long and 2 to 8 millimeters (0.08 to 0.3 inches) wide. They have many thin lines running along them.
Where it Grows
This plant grows naturally in a large area of Western Australia. You can find it in the Pilbara region and the northern part of the Goldfields region. It is spread out in different spots.
Its range stretches from about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of Wiluna in the south. From there, it goes east into the Gibson Desert. In the north, it grows on places like Balfour Downs and Ethel Creek Stations. It is also found in the Hamersley Range.
Acacia subcontorta often grows in the same areas as another plant called Acacia thoma. It likes to grow on gently rolling plains and stony, hard ground. The soil is usually shallow, red-brown, and loamy, mixed with ironstone pebbles and small rocks. It is often part of open woodlands where Mulga trees grow. Sometimes, there is also a layer of spinifex grass growing underneath.
