Baarla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baarla |
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| Eucalyptus gongylocarpa near Plumridge Lakes in South Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
gongylocarpa
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Eucalyptus gongylocarpa, often called baarla, marble gum, or desert gum, is a special type of tree. It grows only in the middle parts of Australia. This tree has smooth bark and leaves that look like spears or ovals. Its flowers are whitish, and its fruits are round.
Contents
What Baarla Looks Like
Baarla is a tree that usually grows to be about 4 to 16 m (13 to 52 ft) (about 13 to 52 feet) tall. It has smooth, white bark. Sometimes, you can see red-brown pieces of bark that are loosely attached and peel off.
Leaves and Flowers
Young Baarla plants have special leaves. These leaves are a bluish-grey color, which is called glaucous. They don't have a stalk and are arranged in pairs opposite each other. They can be egg-shaped, heart-shaped, or almost round. These young leaves are about 25 to 50 mm (0.98 to 1.97 in) (1 to 2 inches) long.
Adult leaves are also often opposite each other and are glaucous. They look dull greyish or bluish on both sides. These leaves are shaped like a spear or an oval. They are about 30 to 80 mm (1.2 to 3.1 in) (1 to 3 inches) long. Each adult leaf has a small stalk called a petiole, which is about 3 to 14 mm (0.12 to 0.55 in) (0.1 to 0.5 inches) long.
The flower buds grow where the leaves meet the stem. They usually appear in groups of seven. These groups grow on a stalk called a peduncle, which is about 8 to 19 mm (0.31 to 0.75 in) (0.3 to 0.7 inches) long. Each individual bud has its own tiny stalk, called a pedicel, about 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 in) (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long.
When the buds are ready, they look like clubs. They are about 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in) (0.2 inches) long. The top part of the bud, called the operculum, is rounded. Baarla trees usually flower in January and February. Their flowers are whitish.
Fruits
After flowering, the tree produces fruits. These fruits are woody and mostly round. They are a type of dry fruit called a capsule. Each fruit is about 6 to 12 mm (0.24 to 0.47 in) (0.2 to 0.5 inches) long and wide.
How Baarla Got Its Name
The Eucalyptus gongylocarpa tree was first officially described in 1936. A scientist named William Blakely wrote about it in a science paper. He used a sample collected by Richard Helms back in 1891.
The second part of its scientific name, gongylocarpa, comes from ancient Greek words. Gongylos means 'round', and carpos means 'fruit'. This name perfectly describes its unique round fruits!
Where Baarla Grows
Baarla trees are found in the dry, central parts of Australia. You can see them on sandy plains, sand dunes, and small hills. They grow in Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.
In these areas, Baarla is often the most common tree. It forms woodlands and shrublands. In Western Australia, it grows east of a town called Sandstone. In South Australia, it is very common in the Great Victoria Desert. You can also find it south of Lake Amadeus in the Northern Territory.
