Carson River wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carson River wattle |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
anastomosa
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The Acacia anastomosa, also known as the Carson River wattle, is a special type of shrub. It belongs to the large Acacia family, which includes many kinds of wattles. This particular wattle is found only in a small part of northwestern Australia. This means it is endemic to that area, making it quite unique!
What Does the Carson River Wattle Look Like?
This shrub usually grows to a height of about 1 to 2 m (3 ft 3 in to 6 ft 7 in). It has a somewhat thin or "spindly" shape. Its bark is smooth and brown. The young branches are dark red and smooth (this is called glabrous), but they turn grey as they get older.
Like most Acacia plants, the Carson River wattle doesn't have typical leaves. Instead, it has what are called phyllodes. These are flattened leaf stalks that act like leaves. The phyllodes of this wattle are always green. They are shaped like a narrow oval or sometimes a wider oval, and they are usually a bit uneven on one side. They are about 5 to 9 cm (2.0 to 3.5 in) long and 15 to 25 mm (0.59 to 0.98 in) wide. Each phyllode has two to four main veins running along its length.
The Carson River wattle blooms between April and June. It produces small, simple flower clusters on stalks that are about 8 to 17 mm (0.31 to 0.67 in) long. The flowers are bright yellow and grow in dense, cylinder-shaped spikes. These spikes are about 10 to 17 mm (0.39 to 0.67 in) long.
After the flowers, seed pods form. These pods are narrow and shaped like a rectangle or a narrow spear, getting thinner towards the bottom. The pods are tough or slightly woody. They are about 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) long and 7 to 10 mm (0.28 to 0.39 in) wide. They are straight and open up from the top to release the seeds.
Where Does the Carson River Wattle Grow?
This wattle is found in a small area within the Kimberley region of Western Australia. You can find it south of a town called Kalumburu.
The shrub prefers to grow in red volcanic soils. It is part of open woodland communities, meaning it grows alongside other trees. Some of the trees it grows with include Eucalyptus tectifica, Corymbia greeniana, and Erythrophleum chlorostachys.
