Graceful wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Graceful wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
gracilifolia
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Graceful Wattle (Acacia gracilifolia) is a type of shrub. It's also known as graceful wattle because of its delicate look. This plant belongs to the Acacia family, which is a big group of plants. You can find it growing naturally in a small part of central southern Australia.
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What Does Graceful Wattle Look Like?
This shrub usually grows to be about 1 to 2 metres (3.3 to 6.6 ft) tall. Its branches are thin and smooth, with yellow stripes. The leaves, called filiform phyllodes, are long and thin, like threads. They are green and can be straight or slightly curved. These leaf-like parts are usually 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) long and only about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide.
Flowers and Seeds
The Graceful Wattle blooms between August and November. Its flowers grow in groups, either alone or in clusters of two or three, near where the leaves join the stem. The flower-heads are bright yellow and can be shaped like a cylinder or almost like a ball.
After the flowers, long, thin seed pods appear. These pods can be up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long and about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide. Inside the pods, you'll find hard, dark brown or black seeds. Each seed is shaped like an oval, about 6 mm (0.24 in) long and 4 mm (0.16 in) wide.
How Graceful Wattle Got Its Name
Two botanists, Joseph Maiden and William Blakely, first officially described this plant in 1927. They gave it the scientific name Acacia gracilifolia.
The second part of its name, gracilifolia, comes from Latin words. Gracilis means graceful or slender, and folium means leaf. This name perfectly describes the plant's long, thin, graceful leaves.
The Graceful Wattle is part of a group of plants called the Acacia wilhelmiana group. This group includes nine other closely related wattle species.
Where Does Graceful Wattle Grow?
You can find the Graceful Wattle scattered across parts of South Australia. It grows in the southern Flinders Ranges and the northern Mount Lofty Ranges. Its range stretches from places like Wilmington in the north down to Port Pirie.
This shrub often grows in rocky areas, like gorges or on hillsides. It prefers shallow, loamy soils. It's usually found as part of scrubby Eucalyptus woodland communities, sharing its home with other native Australian trees and plants.
