Cable Beach ghost gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cable Beach ghost gum |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Corymbia
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| Species: |
paractia
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The Corymbia paractia, also known as the Cable Beach ghost gum, is a special kind of tree. It grows low to the ground and is found only in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. This tree has smooth, white to light grey bark. Sometimes, the bark near the bottom of its trunk can be a bit rough. Its leaves are shaped like spears, and its flower buds grow in small groups. When it blooms, it has pretty creamy white flowers, and its fruit looks like a cup or a barrel.
Contents
What Does the Cable Beach Ghost Gum Look Like?
The Cable Beach ghost gum is often a tree with several trunks. It usually grows about 4 to 6 meters tall, but some can reach up to 12 meters. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if there's a fire.
The bark of this tree is smooth and creamy white to light grey. It peels off in thin pieces. Sometimes, near the bottom of the trunk, you might see thin, rough, brownish bark.
Leaves and Flowers
Young plants and new shoots have hairy leaves that are shaped like eggs or ovals. These leaves are dull green and are about 5 to 11 centimeters long and 4 to 6 centimeters wide. They have a small stem called a petiole.
The older leaves on the tree are also dull green on both sides. They are shaped like spears, about 7.5 to 14 centimeters long and 1.4 to 5.5 centimeters wide. They grow on a petiole that is about 4 to 12 millimeters long. This tree often loses its leaves during the dry season.
The flower buds grow in the leaf corners of branches that have lost their leaves. They are found on a small branched stem called a peduncle, which is 1 to 8 millimeters long. Each part of the peduncle has three or seven buds. These buds are on tiny stems called pedicels, which are 5 to 15 millimeters long.
When the buds are ready to open, they are shaped like pears. They are about 5 to 7 millimeters long and 4 to 5 millimeters wide. They have a rounded cap called an operculum, which sometimes has a small point in the middle. The Cable Beach ghost gum flowers between April and May, or between October and December. Its flowers are a lovely creamy white color.
Fruit
After flowering, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a capsule that looks like a cup, barrel, or cylinder. It is about 7 to 11 millimeters long and 6 to 9 millimeters wide. The walls of the fruit are thin, and the parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are hidden inside the fruit.
Where Does the Cable Beach Ghost Gum Live?
The Cable Beach ghost gum is found only in a small area along the coast of the Kimberley region, close to Broome. It grows in sandy soil between the beach dunes and the red "pindan" soils found in that area.
How is it Protected?
This special eucalypt tree is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means that the tree is known to exist in only a few places, and these locations might be at risk. This classification helps protect the species and its habitat.
