Koolanooka Delicate wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Koolanooka Delicate wattle |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
graciliformis
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Acacia graciliformis, also known as the Koolanooka Delicate Wattle, is a special kind of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is a large group of plants. This wattle is only found in a small part of western Australia. This means it is an endemic species, growing naturally in just one specific area.
What Does It Look Like?
This wattle usually grows to be about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. It has a wide, spreading shape with thin, twisted stems. Its young branches are a bit hairy, but they become smooth as they get older.
Like many Acacia plants, the Koolanooka Delicate Wattle doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes act like leaves and help the plant make food. They grow from small bumps on the stems. Each phyllode is slightly curved and measures about 7 to 25 millimeters long. They are very narrow, only 0.7 to 1 millimeter wide. Each one ends in a sharp, stiff point.
Flowers and Seed Pods
This wattle blooms in September. Its flowers grow in small, round clusters called inflorescences. These flower-heads are about 3 to 4 millimeters wide. Each one holds 11 to 18 light golden flowers. They grow either alone or in pairs where the leaves meet the stem.
After the flowers bloom, seed pods begin to form. These pods are long and narrow, sometimes even curved or coiled. They are firm but thin, measuring 3.5 to 6.5 centimeters long and 3 to 3.5 millimeters wide. Inside the pods, you'll find shiny, dark brown seeds. Each seed has a small, white cap called an aril.
How It Was Named
This plant was officially named in 2007 by two botanists, Bruce Maslin and Carrie Buscumb. They described it in a scientific paper. This paper was published in a journal called Nuytsia.
Where It Grows
The Koolanooka Delicate Wattle lives in a small area of the Wheatbelt region in Western Australia. It likes to grow on gentle slopes of low hills. You can also find it around rocky areas made of basalt or ironstone. It prefers to grow in stony clay soils.
This wattle is found in two main groups of plants. One group is in the Koolanooka Hills. The other is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southeast, in the Perenjori Hills. It often grows as part of open woodlands or in areas with small, dense shrubs called mallee shrubland.
