Spindly wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spindly wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
debilis
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Acacia debilis, commonly known as the spindly wattle, is a species of Acacia native to eastern Australia.
Description
The shrub or tree typically grows to a height of 2.5 to 6 metres (8 to 20 ft) and has an erect to spreading habit and smooth grey to reddish green bark. It has terete longitudinally ridged to smooth glabrous branchlets. The glabrous leaves occur with petiole that is 1 to 4 cm (0.39 to 1.57 in) in length. The leaves are composed to one to four pairs of pinnae that are 3 to 9.5 cm (1.2 to 3.7 in) in length. There are 5 to 17 pairs of pinnules that have an oblong to narrowly oblong in shape and are 6 to 20 mm (0.24 to 0.79 in) in length and 2 to 6 mm (0.079 to 0.236 in) wide. The plant blooms between July and September and produces inflorescences in groups of 8 to 25 in an axillary raceme or more commonly in the in panicles along an axis that is 2 to 20 cm (0.79 to 7.87 in) in length. The spherical flower-heads have a diameter of 4 to 7.5 mm (0.16 to 0.30 in) and contain 15 to 33 bright yellow flowers. The glabrous and thinly leathery seed pods that form after flowering have a white powdery coating and are straight to slightly curved. The flat and usually straight-sided pods are 5.5 to 13.5 cm (2.2 to 5.3 in) in length and have a width of 9 to 13 mm (0.35 to 0.51 in).
Distribution
It is endemic to a small area of south eastern Queensland and north eastern New South Wales and has a disjunct distribution. In New South Wales it is found to the north of the Pilliga scrub usually situated along creek banks and is often part of dry sclerophyll forest or woodland communities and grows in sandy soils. The range of the plant extends from around Taroom in the north down to the Pilliga East State Forest in the south west and Tenterfield in the south east.
