Tableland wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tableland wattle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
caesiella
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Acacia caesiella, often called the Tableland Wattle, Bluebush Wattle, or Blue Bush, is a special kind of shrub or small tree. It only grows in eastern Australia, which means it's endemic to that area – you won't find it naturally anywhere else in the world!
Contents
What Does the Tableland Wattle Look Like?
This plant usually grows as a shrub or a small tree. It can be anywhere from about 1 to 3.5 meters (3 to 11 feet) tall, but sometimes it can even reach up to 5 meters (16 feet)! It can grow straight up or spread out.
Its bark is smooth and can be grey or brown. The smaller branches have angles. Like most Acacia plants, it doesn't have regular leaves. Instead, it has special flattened stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are like leaves and are usually 4 to 10 centimeters (1.5 to 4 inches) long and 3 to 7 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. They can be straight or slightly curved.
Flowers and Seed Pods
Between July and October, you'll see bright yellow flowers appear on the Tableland Wattle. These flowers grow in small, round balls, about 4 to 6.5 millimeters (0.15 to 0.25 inches) across. Each little ball has 12 to 20 tiny, bright or deep yellow flowers.
After the flowers bloom, flat seed pods start to form. These pods are straight or slightly curved, about 4 to 9 centimeters (1.5 to 3.5 inches) long and 6 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. They feel like firm paper or leather and hold the plant's seeds.
How Was the Tableland Wattle Named?
The Tableland Wattle was first officially described by two botanists, Joseph Maiden and William Blakely, in 1927. They wrote about it in a scientific paper called Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.
Later, in 2003, another botanist named Leslie Pedley decided to put this plant into a different group, calling it Racosperma caesiellum. But then, in 2006, it was moved back to its original group, the Acacia genus, where it is known as Acacia caesiella today.
Where Does the Tableland Wattle Grow?
You can find the Tableland Wattle in the state of New South Wales in Australia. It mostly grows on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range. This area stretches from places like Burrenjuck in the south, Mount Coricudgy in the east, and all the way to Baradine in the west.
It likes to grow in rocky areas. You'll often see it as part of dry sclerophyll woodland communities. These are types of forests where many plants have tough, leathery leaves that help them survive in dry conditions.
