Tallebung wattle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tallebung wattle
Acacia menzelii (fig. 1-6)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Acacia
Species:	menzelii
Occurrence data from AVH

The Tallebung wattle, also called Menzel's wattle, is a type of shrub. Its scientific name is Acacia menzelii. This plant is part of the Acacia family. It naturally grows in a small part of southern Australia.

What the Tallebung Wattle Looks Like

This shrub usually grows up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall. It has a round, full shape and spreads out. Its small branches have few hairs and grow from near the ground. They then grow upwards.

The leaves of the Tallebung wattle are called phyllodes. They are flat, green, and round like a pencil. They are long and thin, either straight or slightly curved. These phyllodes are about 1.5 to 4 cm (0.59 to 1.57 in) long and 0.5 to 1 mm (0.020 to 0.039 in) wide. They have six brownish lines, which are like veins.

How the Tallebung Wattle Got Its Name

The scientific name for this plant is Acacia menzelii. The "menzelii" part honors O.E. Menzel. He was a botanist, a scientist who studies plants. Menzel found the first official sample of this plant near Monarto in 1897. This first sample is called the type specimen.

The Tallebung wattle is part of a group of plants called the Acacia wilhelmiana group. This group includes nine other close relatives. These are Acacia abrupta, Acacia ascendens, Acacia barattensis, Acacia brachypoda, Acacia cowaniana, Acacia helmsiana, Acacia leptalea, Acacia gracilifolia, and Acacia viscifolia.

Where the Tallebung Wattle Grows

You can find the Tallebung wattle in different spots in South Australia. It grows in the Murray region around Monarto. It also grows in the Flinders Range.

This shrub often lives in deep valleys called gorges. It also grows on rocky hillsides. It prefers brown to grey soils that contain lime. The Tallebung wattle is usually found in areas with scrubby Eucalyptus forests.