Acacia rostellifera
Encyclopedia
Acacia rostellifera, commonly known as summer-scented wattle or skunk tree is a coastal tree
or small tree
in the family
Fabaceae
. Endemic
to Western Australia
, it occurs along the west coast as far north as Kalbarri
in the Southwest Australia savanna
ecoregion
, and along the south coast as far east as Israelite Bay
.
The summer-scented wattle generally reproduces by sucker
s from underground stems. Because of this suckering, the species often forms thickets that exclude all other species. The tallest Acacia
of its area, it can grow to 10 metres. Specimens above 3 metres are not often seen, however, as bushfires occur often in its area. Fire burns the plants right to the ground, but the underground stem resprouts vigorously.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
or small tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. Endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, it occurs along the west coast as far north as Kalbarri
Kalbarri, Western Australia
Kalbarri is a coastal town in the Mid West region located 592 km north of Perth, Western Australia. The town is found at the mouth of the Murchison River and has an elevation of...
in the Southwest Australia savanna
Southwest Australia savanna
Southwest Australia savanna is an ecoregion in Western Australia.-Location and description:This dry region is a belt between the Mediterranean climate of the southwest corner and the semi-arid sandplains inland and to the north...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
, and along the south coast as far east as Israelite Bay
Israelite Bay, Western Australia
Israelite Bay is a bay and locality at Location on the south coast of Western Australia - frequently mentioned in Bureau of Meteorology weather reports as a geographical marker - it does not have a climate record....
.
The summer-scented wattle generally reproduces by sucker
Basal shoot
A basal shoot, root sprout, adventitious shoot, water sprout or sucker is a shoot or cane which grows from a bud at the base of a tree or shrub or from its roots. This shoot then becomes, or takes the form of, a singular plant. A plant that produces suckers is referred to as surculose...
s from underground stems. Because of this suckering, the species often forms thickets that exclude all other species. The tallest Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
of its area, it can grow to 10 metres. Specimens above 3 metres are not often seen, however, as bushfires occur often in its area. Fire burns the plants right to the ground, but the underground stem resprouts vigorously.