Acacia thoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia thoma |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
thoma
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia thoma is a special type of shrub found only in the dry, desert-like areas of western Australia. It belongs to the large group of plants called Acacia, which are also known as wattles.
Contents
About the Acacia thoma Plant
This shrub has many stems and often grows in a cone shape. It usually reaches a height of about 1.5 to 3.5 meters (5 to 11.5 feet). It can also spread out to be 1.5 to 3.5 meters wide.
What Does Acacia thoma Look Like?
The bark on the upper parts of its branches is smooth and grey. But as you look closer to the base, the bark becomes rough. It also has long cracks running up and down.
When new shoots grow, they are light green. They have tiny, temporary leaf-like parts called stipules. These new shoots are a bit sticky because they have resin.
Like most Acacia plants, Acacia thoma does not have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes do the job of leaves. They are a dull green to grey-green color. They feel tough and are quite stiff.
Phyllodes: The Special Leaves
The phyllodes are narrow and can be straight or slightly curved. They are about 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long. They are also very thin, only about 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide. You can see many thin lines running along them, which are like tiny veins.
How Acacia thoma Got Its Name
The plant was named after Emil Thoma. He was a Botanical Advisor for a company called Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Emil Thoma helped a plant expert named Bruce Maslin. He gave Maslin samples of the plant and useful information about it. This help led to the plant being officially named Acacia thoma in his honor.
Where Acacia thoma Grows
Acacia thoma is found in several regions of Western Australia. These include the Mid West, Goldfields, and Pilbara areas. It is spread out in different spots across these regions.
Specific Locations and Habitat
You can find it from the east of Paraburdoo in the Pilbara. Its range goes south to places like Meekatharra and Leinster. It also stretches east to an area near Mount Nossiter in the Little Sandy Desert.
This plant often grows on rocky slopes and ridges. These areas are usually near the bottom of mountain ranges. The rocks in these places are made of banded ironstone. Acacia thoma grows in thin, rocky soils. It is part of open shrubland communities. Here, it often grows alongside other Acacia species like Acacia aneura and Acacia sibirica. It can also be found with Eremophila jucunda.
