Vassal's wattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vassal's wattle |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acacia
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| Species: |
vassalii
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| Where Vassal's wattle has been found in Australia | |
The Acacia vassalii, also known as Vassal's wattle, is a type of shrub. It belongs to the Acacia family, which is a large group of plants. This special wattle only grows in a small part of southwestern Australia. It is considered to be in great danger of disappearing forever. Different groups have listed it as critically endangered or endangered because there are so few left.
Contents
What Vassal's Wattle Looks Like
This shrub usually grows to be quite small, about 0.15 to 0.3 m (5.9 in to 11.8 in) tall. It spreads out and has a rounded shape. Its small branches are a bit hairy. It has tiny, leaf-like parts called stipules that stay on the plant. These are like little pointy bits, about 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) long.
Like many Acacia plants, Vassal's wattle doesn't have true leaves. Instead, it has flat, leaf-like stems called phyllodes. These phyllodes are smooth or slightly hairy. They are long and narrow, about 4 to 8 mm (0.16 to 0.31 in) long and only about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide. They can be straight or slightly curved. You can't easily see any veins on them. This wattle blooms in June and July, showing off pretty yellow flowers.
Naming and Discovery
The scientific name Acacia vassalii was given to honor a French botanist named Jacques Vassal. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. The first time this plant was collected was in 1935. It was found near an area called Wongan Hills by a person named E.H. Ising. Two other types of wattle, Acacia ericifolia and Acacia leptospermoides, are quite similar to Vassal's wattle.
Where Vassal's Wattle Grows
Vassal's wattle naturally grows in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It likes to grow in sandy or loamy soils. This plant has a very small natural home. Most of the plants are found from near Wongan Hills in the southeast to Watheroo in the northwest. It usually grows as part of low scrub communities, which are areas with many small bushes and plants.
There are only 17 known groups, or populations, of Vassal's wattle left. In total, there are about 2033 adult plants. Sadly, most of these groups have fewer than 40 plants in them. This small number makes it very important to protect them.
Why Vassal's Wattle Needs Protection
Vassal's wattle is listed as "critically endangered" by the World Conservation Union. This means it faces an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. It is also listed as "endangered" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in Australia. In Western Australia, it is considered "rare flora" by the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. These listings show how important it is to protect this unique plant so it doesn't disappear forever.
