Acacia subternata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia subternata |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
subternata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia subternata is a type of shrub that belongs to the Acacia plant family. It's special because it only grows naturally in a specific part of northern Australia. This means it is an endemic plant, found nowhere else in the world!
What Does It Look Like?
This Acacia shrub usually grows to about 1.2 meters (around 4 feet) tall. It can stand up straight, spread out a bit, or even grow in a rounded, dome shape. Its branches start growing close to the ground. The bark on its trunk is usually smooth, but sometimes it might have small cracks, and it's a grey-brown color.
How Scientists Named It
Scientists have a special way of naming and classifying plants, which is called taxonomy. The first time Acacia subternata was officially described was in 1859. A botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it its scientific name. He wrote about it in a scientific paper. Later, in 2003, another scientist named Leslie Pedley changed its classification. But then, in 2006, it was put back into the Acacia group.
Where Does It Grow?
This shrub is native to the northern part of the Northern Territory in Australia, often called the "Top End." Most of these plants are found in an area stretching from Borroloola in the southeast to the Victoria River in the southwest.
Acacia subternata likes to grow on sandstone or quartzite ridges. It grows in sandy soil that isn't very deep. You'll often find it living in Eucalyptus woodlands. Below these trees, you might see a type of grass called spinifex growing, which is where Acacia subternata also thrives.
