Acacia williamsiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acacia williamsiana |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
williamsiana
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia williamsiana is a type of tree or shrub. It belongs to the large Acacia family, often called wattles in Australia. You can find this plant growing naturally in eastern Australia.
Contents
What Acacia williamsiana Looks Like
This plant can be a tall shrub or a small tree. It usually grows to be about 2 to 8 meters (about 6 to 26 feet) tall. Its branches are often smooth and might have a fine white powder on them.
Like most Acacia plants, it has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes instead of true leaves.
- When the plant is young, these phyllodes are wider. They are shaped like an oval or a broad spoon. They measure about 1.3 to 7.5 centimeters (0.5 to 3 inches) long and 13 to 25 millimeters (0.5 to 1 inch) wide.
- As the plant gets older, the phyllodes become more narrow. They are pale green to grey-green. They grow to be about 5 to 12 centimeters (2 to 4.7 inches) long and 4 to 11 millimeters (0.15 to 0.4 inches) wide.
- These phyllodes are generally smooth. They have many lines running along them, like veins. Three to five of these lines are usually clearer than the others.
The plant flowers between September and December. It produces simple flower clusters called inflorescences. These look like cylindrical spikes with pale yellow flowers. After the flowers, long, thin seed pods grow. They are about 3.5 to 9 centimeters (1.4 to 3.5 inches) long and 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide. These pods are often wrinkled and curved. Inside, you'll find black to dark brown seeds. They are shaped like an oval and are arranged in a line.
How It Got Its Name
Naming the Plant
The special part of its scientific name, williamsiana, honors John Beaumont Williams. He was a botanist and a teacher. Mr. Williams worked at New England University in Armidale. He was the first person to notice that this plant was a unique species. The plant was officially named in 1997.
Where Acacia williamsiana Grows
Its Home in Australia
Acacia williamsiana is found only in certain areas of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. This is called being endemic to those regions. Its population is spread out, meaning it grows in separate patches. This is known as a disjunct distribution.
In New South Wales, you can find it within about 100 kilometers (62 miles) of Glen Innes. It grows as far west as Ashford and as far north as Torrington. In southern Queensland, it grows in areas around Ballandean. This plant often grows near granite rock formations. It is part of the woodland and low shrubland plant communities in these areas.
