Chalky wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chalky wattle |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
cretacea
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Chalky Wattle (Acacia cretacea) is a special type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is known for its many different wattle plants. This particular wattle is found only in South Australia, meaning it's endemic to that area. It's called "chalky" because some parts of it can look a bit chalk-white.
What the Chalky Wattle Looks Like
The Chalky Wattle is usually a shrub or a small tree. It often has just one main stem. It can grow up to 4 m (13 ft) (about 13 feet) tall. It has a somewhat thin look with branches that spread out.
Its bark is smooth and can be grey or reddish-brown on the lower part of the trunk. The leaves, called phyllodes, are grey to medium green. They are long and narrow, growing up to 10 cm (3.9 in) (about 4 inches) long and 18 mm (0.71 in) (less than an inch) wide.
The wattle blooms off and on between July and January. Its flowers grow in round clusters called inflorescences. Each cluster has 5 to 14 ball-shaped flower-heads. These flower-heads are small, about 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 in) across. They are packed with 35 to 45 bright lemon yellow to golden yellow flowers.
After the flowers, seed pods grow. These pods are pale brown and can be up to 9 cm (3.5 in) (about 3.5 inches) long and 6 mm (0.24 in) wide. Inside the pods are black seeds. The seeds are oval-shaped and about 7 mm (0.28 in) long and 4 mm (0.16 in) wide.
How the Chalky Wattle Got Its Name
Scientists Bruce Maslin and D. J. E. Whibley first officially described the Chalky Wattle in 1987. They wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, cretacea, comes from a Latin word. Cretaceus means "chalk white." This name was chosen because the plant's small branches, flowers, and seed pods can sometimes look chalky white.
The Chalky Wattle is part of a group of wattles called the Acacia microbotrya group. It is also closely related to Acacia toondulya and looks similar to Acacia gillii.
Where the Chalky Wattle Lives
The Chalky Wattle is found in South Australia. It grows on the southern and eastern parts of the Eyre Peninsula. You can find it on sandy plains and gently rolling hills north of Cowell.
It prefers to grow in red sandy soils. It is often found in areas with mallee trees and low shrubs. Some plants that commonly grow near the Chalky Wattle include Eucalyptus incrassata, Melaleuca uncinata, and Triodia irritans.
This wattle grows in a small area, about 8 km2 (3.1 sq mi) (about 3 square miles). There are only a few hundred to 5,000 individual plants estimated to be left. You can sometimes see these shrubs growing along roadsides and in nearby farmland.
