Acacia tolmerensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia tolmerensis |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
tolmerensis
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| Where this plant grows (from AVH data) | |
The Acacia tolmerensis 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 is found only in a specific part of northern Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one place, it is called endemic.
About the Plant
This plant usually grows as a shrub, but sometimes it can be a small tree. It typically reaches a height of about 1 to 4 meters (3 to 13 feet). It has many stems and a smooth, hairless surface. After a fire, it often grows new shoots from its roots.
Its branches are flat and have sharp edges near the tips. They are covered in a fine, white, powdery layer. Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has phyllodes. These are flattened leaf stalks that look and act like leaves.
The phyllodes are evergreen, meaning they stay green all year. They are thin, leathery, and grey-green. They are shaped like a half-ellipse and curve slightly. Each phyllode is about 11 to 24.5 centimeters (4 to 9.6 inches) long and 4 to 9 millimeters (0.15 to 0.35 inches) wide. They have three to four, or sometimes six, main veins running along them.
Flowers and Seeds
The Acacia tolmerensis blooms between November and February. Its flowers grow in clusters called inflorescences. These clusters are shaped like a bunch of grapes (racemose). Each flower cluster has round flower-heads, about 7 to 11 millimeters (0.27 to 0.43 inches) across. Each head contains about 80 tiny, creamy white to pale yellow flowers packed closely together.
After the flowers bloom, flat, leathery or slightly woody seed pods form. These pods are about 5 to 11 centimeters (2 to 4.3 inches) long and 2 to 3 millimeters (0.07 to 0.11 inches) wide. Inside the pods are brown seeds. The seeds are flat and oval-shaped, about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.31 to 0.39 inches) long. Each seed has a small, fleshy attachment at one end called an aril.
How it was Named
The Acacia tolmerensis was first officially described by a scientist named G.J.Leach in 1994. This description was part of a scientific paper about new Acacia species from northern Australia. The paper was published in a journal called Nuytsia.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified it. He moved it to a different group called Racosperma tolmerense. But in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia group.
Where it Grows
This plant is found in a small area on the western side of the Top End in the Northern Territory of Australia. It grows from the Tabletop Range in the north down to the area around the Daly River in the south.
It prefers to grow in sandy soils. You can find it in open forest areas, where trees are not too close together.
