Boomerang wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boomerang wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
amoena
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Boomerang Wattle (scientific name: Acacia amoena) is a type of shrub found in eastern Australia. It gets its common name, "boomerang wattle," because of the shape of its leaves, which can sometimes look like a boomerang! This plant belongs to a large group of plants called Acacias, also known as wattles.
What Does It Look Like?
This shrub usually grows upright or spreads out. It can reach a height of about 0.5 to 3 m (1 ft 8 in to 9 ft 10 in) (that's about 1.5 to 10 feet tall). Its branches are a reddish-brown color.
The leaves of the Boomerang Wattle are special. They are called phyllodes. These phyllodes are long and thin, like a blade. They can be straight or slightly curved, just like a boomerang! Each one is about 2 to 8.5 cm (0.79 to 3.35 in) long and 5 to 12 mm (0.20 to 0.47 in) wide.
The Boomerang Wattle blooms between July and December. During this time, it produces bright to pale yellow flowers. These flowers grow in groups called inflorescences. You'll see 6 to 21 flower clusters along a stem that is 1 to 6.5 cm (0.39 to 2.56 in) long. Each flower head is round and holds six to twelve bright golden flowers. They also have tiny, dark brown parts called bracteoles.
After the flowers bloom, dark brown to black seed pods form. These pods are long and thin, about 9 cm (3.5 in) long and 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) wide. Inside these pods, you'll find oblong or oval-shaped seeds. Each seed is about 3.5 to 5 mm (0.14 to 0.20 in) long.
How Scientists Name It
The Boomerang Wattle was first officially described by a botanist named Heinrich Wendland. He wrote about it in 1820.
Sometimes, people confuse this plant with another wattle called Acacia rubida. The Boomerang Wattle is part of a group of plants called the Acacia microbotrya group. It is closely related to Acacia kydrensis and looks similar to Acacia chalkeri and Acacia rubida.
Where Does It Grow?
You can find the Boomerang Wattle along the Great Dividing Range in eastern Australia. It grows in parts of New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.
This plant often lives in dry sclerophyll forests or open woodlands. These are types of forests with tough, often spiky leaves that can handle dry conditions. It likes to grow on rocky slopes and along creek banks. It prefers rocky soils.
Most of these plants are found in an area that stretches from around Walcha in the north. It goes all the way down to the upper parts of the Snowy River in northeastern Victoria.
