Cape Star-chestnut vs Coast Myall

Sterculia alexandri compared with Acacia binervia

Key Differences

  • Cape Star-chestnut is Vulnerable while Coast Myall is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Cape Star-chestnut Coast Myall
Kingdom same Plantae (Plants) Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order Malvales (Malvales) Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family Malvaceae Fabaceae
Genus Sterculia Acacia
Species Sterculia alexandri Acacia binervia

Evolutionary Relationship

Cape Star-chestnut and Coast Myall share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Cape Star-chestnut

VU — Vulnerable

Coast Myall

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Cape Star-chestnut Coast Myall
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cape Star-chestnut

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Coast Myall

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Cape Star-chestnut

The Cape Star-chestnut (Sterculia alexandri) is a species in the genus Sterculia. It is currently classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Coast Myall

Coast myall (Acacia binervia) is a small to medium tree or tall shrub in the family Fabaceae, native to coastal and near-coastal regions of New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It grows in coastal heath, dry sclerophyll woodland, and scrubby vegetation on sandy or rocky substrates, often in association with banksias and eucalypts. Like most Australian wattles, coast myall produces phyllodes—flattened leaf-stalks functioning as leaves—rather than true compound leaves in mature plants. The dark green phyllodes are distinctive, with two main veins, giving rise to the species name binervia. Golden-yellow, spherical flower heads are produced in winter to spring, attracting native bees. The genus Acacia sensu lato encompasses hundreds of species across Australia and globally, many of which play important ecological roles in nitrogen cycling through root symbioses. Coast myall is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is sometimes planted in coastal revegetation projects for its tolerance of poor, sandy soils, drought, and salt-laden winds.

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