Round-leaf wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Round-leaf wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
strongylophylla
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia strongylophylla, also known as round-leaf wattle, is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia plant family. This plant is special because it is found only in central Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one place, we say it is endemic there.
What Does It Look Like?
This wattle is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow between 1 to 3 meters (about 3 to 10 feet) tall. Its branches are yellowish-green to reddish-brown. They are a bit flat and have smooth, thin brown bark.
The plant has special leaf-like parts called phyllodes. These are flat and dull, shaped like a diamond or a circle. They are about 2 centimeters (less than an inch) long and wide. Each phyllode has one clear vein running through it. These phyllodes stay green all year round.
Flowers and Seeds
The round-leaf wattle blooms between June and October. It grows bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in simple spikes, either alone or in pairs. Each flower spike has a large, round, deep golden-yellow flower head.
After the flowers bloom, brown seed pods grow. These pods are flat but have bumps where the seeds are. They are about 8 centimeters (3 inches) long and 12 millimeters (half an inch) wide. Inside the pods are hard, shiny, black-brown seeds. Each seed is about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) wide.
How It Got Its Name
The scientist Ferdinand von Mueller first officially described this plant in 1874. He wrote about it in his work called Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Later, another scientist, Leslie Pedley, changed its name in 1987. But in 2001, it was moved back to the Acacia group.
The name strongylophylla comes from two Greek words. Strongylos means "round," and phyllon means "leaf." This name perfectly describes the plant's round-shaped leaves!
A. strongylophylla is part of a group of wattles called the Acacia pyrifolia group. However, you can tell it apart because its flowers do not grow in long clusters called racemes.
Where It Grows
This wattle lives in the dry desert areas of central Australia. You can find it in the northwestern part of South Australia, the southern part of the Northern Territory, and the northeastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.
It likes to grow near watercourses, on rocky hillsides, and in valley floors and walls. It usually grows in shallow red sandy soils. The round-leaf wattle is often found with other tall shrubs, including other Acacia and Eucalyptus trees.
