Mount Mulgine fluted wattle facts for kids
The Mount Mulgine fluted wattle, also known as Acacia sulcaticaulis, is a special type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the large Acacia family. You can only find this plant in a small part of Western Australia.
Quick facts for kids Mount Mulgine fluted wattle |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
sulcaticaulis
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Contents
What Does the Mount Mulgine Wattle Look Like?
This plant is usually a shrub with many stems. It grows between 1 and 4 meters tall. Sometimes, it can even grow into a small tree, reaching about 6 meters high. Its branches and stems have cool, flute-like grooves running along them. The bark is smooth.
The new shoots are sticky with a resin and have no hairs (they are glabrous). The smaller branches become flat towards their ends. They are also flat and have faint ribs.
Leaves and Flowers
Like most Acacia plants, the Mount Mulgine wattle does not have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These green phyllodes are long and narrow, shaped like an ellipse. They are usually straight. Each one is about 4 to 14 centimeters long and 5 to 10 millimeters wide. They have many thin lines, called nerves, running along them.
The plant's simple flowers grow alone or in pairs. They appear where the leaves meet the stem (this spot is called the axil). The flower-heads are oval-shaped. They are about 8 to 12 millimeters long and 6 to 8 millimeters wide.
Seed Pods
After the flowers bloom, seed pods start to form. These pods are straight and have a reddish-brown color. They can be thin and brittle (crustaceous) or tough and leathery (coriaceous). Each pod is about 2 to 3.5 centimeters long and 1.4 to 1.8 millimeters wide.
Inside the pods, you will find brown seeds. The seeds are arranged lengthwise. They are oblong-shaped and about 2 to 2.5 millimeters long. Each seed has a small, white, fleshy part called an aril.
Where Does the Mount Mulgine Wattle Grow?
This wattle is found in a small area of the Wheatbelt region in Western Australia. Specifically, it grows around the Perenjori area, near Mount Mulgine.
You can often find it on ridges, steep slopes, and along rocky creek lines. It prefers gravelly, sandy soils that are on top of quartz rock. It grows as part of a shrubland community. This means it lives alongside other shrubs. It is often found growing near Acacia burkittii and Allocasuarina acutivalvis.
