Citrus undulata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Citrus undulata |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Oxanthera undulata (Guillaumin) Swingle |
The Citrus undulata, also known as the wavy-leaf oxanthera, is a special type of plant. It belongs to the Rutaceae family, which includes many plants we know, like oranges and lemons! This plant is very rare and can only be found in one place in the world: New Caledonia. Because it's so rare, it's considered critically endangered, meaning it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
Contents
What is Citrus undulata?
The Citrus undulata is a unique plant that grows in the wild. Its name, "wavy-leaf oxanthera," comes from the way its leaves look. It's part of the same plant family as citrus fruits, but it's not a fruit tree you'd find in a garden. Instead, it's a wild species that plays an important role in its natural environment.
Where Does It Live?
This special plant is endemic to New Caledonia. This means it naturally grows only in New Caledonia and nowhere else on Earth. New Caledonia is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. It's known for its amazing and unique plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.
Why Is It Critically Endangered?
The Citrus undulata is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List. This is the highest risk category for wild species. It means the plant faces a very high chance of becoming extinct in the near future. Plants can become endangered for many reasons, like their habitat being destroyed, climate change, or new diseases. Protecting these rare plants helps keep our planet's biodiversity healthy.
How Scientists Name Plants
Understanding Taxonomy
Scientists use a system called taxonomy to name and group living things. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which plant or animal they are talking about. Each living thing gets a two-part scientific name, like Citrus undulata. The first part is the genus (a group of similar species), and the second part is the species (a specific type of plant or animal).
The Name Change of Citrus undulata
The Citrus undulata was first named by a scientist named André Guillaumin in 1938. He called it Citrus undulata. Later, some scientists thought it was different enough to be put into a new group, or genus, called Oxanthera. So, for a while, it was known as Oxanthera undulata.
However, with new technology, scientists can now study the DNA of plants more closely. This is like looking at a plant's genetic blueprint. By doing this, they found that the Oxanthera plants were actually very closely related to the Citrus genus. This kind of study is called phylogenetic analysis. Because of these new discoveries, scientists decided to move the wavy-leaf oxanthera back into the Citrus genus. This is why its main name is now Citrus undulata again, even though Oxanthera undulata is still a synonym (another name it was known by).
