Hill's tabletop wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hill's tabletop wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
hilliana
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia hilliana, often called Hill's tabletop wattle, is a type of shrub. It's also known as sandhill wattle or Hilltop wattle. This plant belongs to a big group of plants called Acacia, which are famous for their beautiful flowers. You can find this wattle growing naturally in northern Australia.
Some Indigenous Australian groups have special names for this plant. The Banyjima people call it Bundaljingu, and the Nyangumarta people know it as Puntanungu.
Contents
What Does Hill's Tabletop Wattle Look Like?
This wattle is a low, spreading shrub. It usually grows between 0.2 and 1 meter (about 0.7 to 3.3 feet) tall. Its branches often spread out flat, which gives the plant its "tabletop" look.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of Acacia hilliana are called phyllodes. They are green to grey-green and can be found alone or in small groups on the branches. Each phyllode is thin, like a needle, and measures about 2 to 7 centimeters (0.8 to 2.8 inches) long. They are usually straight or curve slightly upwards.
This wattle blooms from March to October. During this time, it produces bright golden yellow flowers. These flowers grow on upright spikes that are about 1 to 4.5 centimeters (0.4 to 1.8 inches) long.
Seed Pods and Seeds
After the flowers bloom, the plant forms flat, thick seed pods. These pods are dark brown and can be 2 to 8 centimeters (0.8 to 3.1 inches) long and 2 to 6 millimeters (0.08 to 0.24 inches) wide. The pods stand upright and feel sticky because of a natural resin. They also have a fresh smell, a bit like lemon or citronella.
Inside the pods are dull to slightly shiny brown seeds. Each seed is shaped like an oval and is about 3 to 5.5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.22 inches) long.
How Was Hill's Tabletop Wattle Named?
The first official description of Acacia hilliana was made in 1917. A botanist named Joseph Maiden wrote about it. He included his description in a book called Appendix IV: Acacias of the Northern Territory. The Flora of the Northern Territory. This book was written by Alfred James Ewart and Olive Blanche Davies.
The plant's name, hilliana, was chosen to honor Gerald Freer Hill. He was the person who collected the very first plant sample that Joseph Maiden used to describe the species.
Where Does Hill's Tabletop Wattle Grow?
You can find Acacia hilliana in several parts of northern Australia. In Western Australia, it grows in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions. It likes rocky areas, plateaus, sand dunes, and sandy plains. It often grows in red, sandy, or stony soils.
This wattle is also found in the Northern Territory and stretches into the far western part of Queensland.
