Three-veined wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Three-veined wattle |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
|
| Species: |
trinervata
|
 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Acacia cunninghamii Sweet |
|
The three-veined wattle, also known as Acacia trinervata, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Acacia group of plants and is part of the large Fabaceae family. This family is also known as the legume family, which includes plants like peas and beans.
Contents
What is the Three-Veined Wattle?
The three-veined wattle is a shrub that can grow upright or spread out. It usually reaches a height of about 1.5 to 3 meters (5 to 10 feet). Its branches are smooth and point upwards.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves of this wattle are not typical flat leaves. Instead, they have special leaf-like structures called phyllodes. These phyllodes are very narrow, like a line, and have a sharp, pointed tip. They are usually 1.5 to 5 centimeters (about 0.6 to 2 inches) long and 1 to 3 millimeters (about 0.04 to 0.12 inches) wide.
A cool fact about these phyllodes is that they have two or three clear veins running along their length. This is where the name "three-veined" comes from! There's also a tiny, hard-to-see gland near the bottom of the phyllode.
Flowers and Seeds
The three-veined wattle produces bright yellow flowers. These flowers grow in small, round clusters, usually one cluster in the "armpit" of each phyllode. Each cluster has about 20 to 30 flowers and is held up by a stalk about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long.
After the flowers, the plant grows long, thin seed pods. These pods are 6 to 12 centimeters (about 2.4 to 4.7 inches) long and 1 to 3 millimeters wide. They can feel like paper or thin leather and sometimes have tiny hairs. Inside, the seeds are lined up, and each seed has a special stalk called a funicle that is folded several times.
Where Does it Grow?
The three-veined wattle is a plant that is endemic to New South Wales, Australia. This means it only grows naturally in this specific area and nowhere else in the world. You can find it mainly in the western parts of Sydney and in the lower areas of the Blue Mountains.
How Was it Named?
The three-veined wattle was first officially described in 1825 by a scientist named Franz Sieber. The second part of its scientific name, trinervata, comes from Latin. "Tri" means three, and "nervata" means veined, which perfectly describes its unique phyllodes!
