Kybean wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kybean wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
kybeanensis
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Kybean Wattle (scientific name: Acacia kybeanensis) is a special type of shrub found only in southeastern Australia. It's also sometimes called the Kybeyan Wattle. This plant belongs to the Acacia family, which is famous for its many beautiful wattle species. It is endemic, meaning it naturally grows only in this specific part of the world.
Contents
What the Kybean Wattle Looks Like
The Kybean Wattle is a shrub that usually grows to be about 1 to 2.5 meters (3 to 8 feet) tall. It can be quite bushy or grow more upright. Its small branches are covered in fine, grayish hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
Instead of true leaves, this wattle has what are called phyllodes. These are like flattened leaf stems that do the job of leaves. They are usually grey-green and can be slightly bent or uneven in shape. They are typically oblong or narrow, like a small spear. Each phyllode is about 1 to 5 centimeters (0.4 to 2 inches) long and 3 to 6 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide. They have one main vein that you can see clearly.
The Kybean Wattle blooms between August and October. Its flowers grow in groups of four to ten. Each flower cluster is a small, round ball, about 4 to 7 millimeters (0.15 to 0.27 inches) across. These little balls are packed with 8 to 15 bright golden flowers.
Seed Pods and Seeds
After the flowers bloom, the plant forms blackish seed pods. These pods are oblong or narrowly oblong and have bumps where the seeds are. They can grow up to 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long and are about 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide. The pods are smooth and feel a bit like paper.
Inside the pods, the seeds are shaped like an oval. Each seed is about 4 millimeters (0.15 inches) long and 3.5 millimeters (0.13 inches) wide.
How the Kybean Wattle Got Its Name
Scientists give plants and animals special names to help identify them. The Kybean Wattle was first officially described by two botanists, Joseph Maiden and William Blakley, in 1927. They wrote about it in a scientific paper called Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.
For a short time in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley reclassified it as Racosperma kybeanense. However, by 2006, it was moved back into the Acacia genus, which is where it remains today.
Where the Kybean Wattle Grows
The Kybean Wattle is found in southeastern Australia. You can see it in parts of New South Wales, from the Blue Mountains area down to the Kybean Range near Lake Eucumbene. It also grows further south, in parts of northeastern Gippsland in Victoria, near places like Freestone Creek and Suggan Buggan.
This plant often grows on rocky slopes, especially where the soil is sandy and rocky. It's usually found living among Eucalyptus trees, which are common in Australian woodlands.
