Kowmung wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kowmung wattle |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
clunies-rossiae
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The Kowmung Wattle (scientific name: Acacia clunies-rossiae) is a special type of shrub. It is also known as the Kanangra Wattle. This plant belongs to the Acacia family, which includes many wattle trees. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
Contents
What Does the Kowmung Wattle Look Like?
This wattle is a shrub that can grow quite tall. It usually reaches a height of 6 to 8 meters (about 20 to 26 feet). It can grow straight up or spread out.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the Kowmung Wattle are actually not true leaves. They are called phyllodes. These phyllodes are green and have a small point at their tip. They are about 4 to 6 centimeters (1.6 to 2.4 inches) long. They are also 4 to 10 millimeters (0.16 to 0.4 inches) wide.
The wattle blooms from August to November, which is early spring in Australia. It produces beautiful bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in groups of 8 to 25. Each group forms a round, golden yellow flower-head.
Where Does the Kowmung Wattle Grow?
The Kowmung Wattle is found in the eastern parts of central New South Wales. It grows near the Kowmung and Coxs River. You can find it mainly inside the Kanangra-Boyd and Blue Mountains National Parks.
Its Home in the Wild
This wattle likes to grow in dry sclerophyll forests. These are forests with tough, hard-leaved plants. It often grows on rocky slopes. The soil there is thin and stony. It can also be found along watercourses, where the soil is made of alluvium (silt or sand left by flowing water).
Who Discovered the Kowmung Wattle?
The Kowmung Wattle was first officially described in 1916. A botanist named Joseph Maiden gave it its scientific name. He wrote about it in a paper called Notes on Acacia, (with description of new species). This paper was published in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.
A Name Change and Back Again
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified it. He moved it to a different genus, calling it Racosperma clunies-rossiae. But in 2006, it was moved back to the Acacia genus. So, its official name is still Acacia clunies-rossiae.
