| Limestone wattle | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Acacia |
| Species: | A. sclerosperma |
| Binomial name | |
| Acacia sclerosperma F.Muell. |
|
Acacia sclerosperma, commonly known as limestone wattle or silver bark wattle, is a tree in the family Fabaceae. Endemic to Western Australia, it occurs on floodplains and along water-courses throughout the arid north-west corner of the State.
Limestone wattle grows as a spreading, tall shrub up to four metres high and six metres wide. Like most Acacia species, it has phyllodes rather than true leaves. These are bright green, oval in cross-section, and may be up to seven centimetres long. The flowers are yellow, and held in cylindrical clusters about five millimetres in diameter. The pods are up to 14 centimetres long, with constrictions between the seeds.centimetres wide.
There are two subspecies: Acacia sclerosperma subsp. sclerosperma and Acacia sclerosperma subsp. glaucescens. The latter is commonly known as billy blue, and is currently considered under threat, though not yet endangered.