Blunt-leaf wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blunt-leaf wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
obtusata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia obtusata, also known as the blunt-leaf wattle or obtuse wattle, is a type of tree or shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family and is native to eastern Australia.
What Does It Look Like?
This shrub usually grows to be less than 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) tall. It often has thin, tall branches that are smooth and dark reddish. Like many Acacia plants, it doesn't have typical leaves. Instead, it has special flat, leaf-like stems called phyllodes.
These evergreen phyllodes are shaped like a spearhead or a narrow oval. They can be straight or slightly curved. They are usually 4 to 11 cm (1.6 to 4.3 in) long and 5 to 16 mm (0.20 to 0.63 in) wide. The phyllodes are thinner at the bottom and have a clear main vein and edge veins. Other veins are harder to see.
The blunt-leaf wattle flowers from August to October. Its flower clusters grow in groups of 5 to 14. The round flower heads each have 15 to 27 golden flowers packed closely together.
After flowering, thin, smooth, black seed pods form. These pods can be up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long and 7 to 12 mm (0.28 to 0.47 in) wide. The seeds are lined up inside the pods. The dull black seeds are shaped like a long oval and are about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Each seed has a small, club-shaped part attached to it called an aril.
How Was It Named?
The scientific name obtusata comes from the Latin word for "blunt." This refers to the blunt or rounded shape of the plant's phyllodes.
Where Does It Grow?
The blunt-leaf wattle is found only in New South Wales, Australia. It grows from the Budawang Range in the north down to near Mount Coricudgy. You can find it scattered across tablelands in sandy soils. It is part of dry sclerophyll forest communities. It is quite common in the western Blue Mountains, from around Braidwood to Tumut.
