Bowgada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bowgada |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Clade: | Mimosoideae |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | |
| Varietas: |
A. r. var. linophylla
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| Trinomial name | |
| Acacia ramulosa var. linophylla W.Fitzg. (Pedley)
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Acacia ramulosa var. linophylla, often called bowgada, is a special type of tree or large shrub found in parts of Australia. It's also known by other names like wanderry mulga or horse mulga. This plant is closely related to another tree called Acacia ramulosa. While its close relative grows all over dry areas of Australia, the bowgada is found in more specific places.
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Bowgada: A Unique Australian Plant
What is Bowgada?
The bowgada is a kind of plant that can grow as a wide shrub or a small tree. It usually reaches about four metres (about 13 feet) tall. Often, it grows wider than it is tall, spreading out across the ground. Like many other plants in the Acacia family, it has special parts that look like leaves but are not true leaves. These are called phyllodes.
Where Does Bowgada Grow?
You can find bowgada mainly in the dry, sandy areas of south-central Western Australia. It also pops up sometimes in South Australia. It prefers to grow in loose, red sand. This makes it different from its close relative, Acacia ramulosa, which is found across many more dry parts of Australia.
How Was Bowgada Named?
For a long time, this plant had its own scientific name: Acacia linophylla. But in 2001, scientists decided that it was so similar to Acacia ramulosa that it should be considered a special type, or "variety," of that plant. So, its name was changed to Acacia ramulosa var. linophylla. This shows how scientists sometimes update plant names as they learn more!
What Does Bowgada Look Like?
The bowgada has unique features that help it survive in dry places.
Its "Leaves" (Phyllodes)
Instead of flat leaves, bowgada has phyllodes. These are greyish-green and shaped like a thin cylinder, almost like a pencil. They stand up almost straight on the plant. Each phyllode can be up to thirteen centimetres (about 5 inches) long and about two millimetres (less than an inch) wide.
Its Flowers
When bowgada blooms, it produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in cylindrical clusters, which means they are shaped like small tubes. Each cluster is about two centimetres (less than an inch) long.
Its Seed Pods
After the flowers, the plant grows thick, woody pods. These pods can be up to ten centimetres (about 4 inches) long and one centimetre (less than half an inch) wide. They have deep cracks or fissures along their length, which gives them a rough texture. These pods hold the seeds of the plant.
