Hocking's wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hocking's wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
hockingsii
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Hocking's wattle (scientific name: Acacia hockingsii) is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is a large group of plants. This wattle plant grows naturally in parts of northeastern Australia.
What Hocking's Wattle Looks Like
This shrub is usually smooth and a bit sticky. It can grow up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) tall. Hocking's wattle often has a rounded shape. Its young shoots are reddish in color.
Instead of regular leaves, this plant has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes grow upwards and are narrow and straight. They might be slightly curved. The green phyllodes are usually 6 to 10 centimeters (about 2.4 to 4 inches) long. They are also 2 to 3 millimeters (about 0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. Each phyllode gets narrower near its base and has a clear vein in the middle.
When Hocking's wattle flowers, it produces simple flower clusters. These clusters appear one by one where the phyllodes meet the stem (called the axil). Each cluster has a round flower-head. These heads contain about 30 golden-colored flowers.
After the flowers bloom, seed pods start to form. These pods are long and narrow, shaped like a rectangle or a line. They are bumpy over where the seeds are. The pods are firm but thin, growing up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. They are also 5 to 7 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.28 inches) wide. The seeds inside are lined up lengthwise. They are oval or egg-shaped and measure about 2.5 to 3.5 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.14 inches) long. Each seed has a small, fleshy part called an aril attached to it.
How Scientists Classify It
Hocking's wattle is part of a special group of Acacia plants. This group includes Acacia johnsonii, Acacia eremophiloides, Acacia gnidium, and Acacia ixodes. Hocking's wattle can be told apart from these others because its phyllodes are longer.
Another plant in this group, Acacia islana, also grows only in the Isla Gorge area. However, Acacia islana has much shorter phyllodes. Hocking's wattle also looks similar to a plant called Acacia sabulosa.
Where Hocking's Wattle Grows
This shrub is found in only a small area of Queensland, Australia. It grows in the Isla Gorge National Park region, which is in the central part of Queensland. You can find it on sandstone plateaus. It prefers thin, sandy soils. It often grows among Eucalyptus trees in woodland areas.
Its natural range extends through the central highlands. It can be found from around Taroom. At first, people thought this plant only existed in three spots within Isla Gorge National Park. But later, more plants were discovered south of Isla Gorge. They were found even beyond the border of the Wondekai Nature Reserve. Even more plants have been located in the Palmgrove National Park.
