Corymbia dendromerinx facts for kids

Corymbia dendromerinx, often called the ghost gum, is a special kind of tree. It grows only in the south-western part of Kimberley, which is in Western Australia. This tree has smooth, pale bark. Sometimes, it might have a rougher patch of bark near its base. It also has unique leaves, creamy white flowers, and fruit shaped like barrels or cups.

What Does the Ghost Gum Look Like?

The ghost gum is a tree that usually grows between 4 and 12 meters tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged, like from a bushfire.

Its Bark

The bark of this tree is smooth and can be white or cream-colored. It peels off in small pieces. Sometimes, near the bottom of the tree, there's a rougher, scaly patch of bark. This rough bark doesn't have a clear line where it stops, unlike some other ghost gums.

Its Leaves

Young ghost gum plants and new shoots have heart-shaped or egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 10 to 22.5 centimeters long and 5.5 to 13 centimeters wide. They grow in pairs opposite each other on the stem.

The leaves higher up on the tree can be heart-shaped or shaped like a spear. They are about 6 to 15 centimeters long and 3.6 to 8.5 centimeters wide. These leaves can also grow in pairs or alternate along the stem.

Its Flowers and Fruit

The ghost gum's flowers grow in large groups on branches that don't have leaves. Each group usually has seven flower buds. These buds are pear-shaped or oval.

The tree blooms from October to December. Its flowers are a lovely creamy white color. After the flowers, the tree produces woody fruit. These fruits are shaped like barrels, cylinders, or cups. They are about 7 to 12 millimeters long and 6 to 8 millimeters wide.

How Did the Ghost Gum Get Its Name?

The Corymbia dendromerinx was officially described in 1995. Two botanists, Kenneth Hill and Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson, gave it its scientific name.

The second part of its name, dendromerinx, comes from ancient Greek words. "Dendron" means "a tree," and "merinx" means "a bristle." This name refers to how the tiny bristles on the leaves look like a tree when you see them up close with a magnifying glass.

Where Does the Ghost Gum Grow?

This ghost gum mostly grows on flat areas and plains in the south-western part of the Kimberley region. It likes to grow in rich, fertile soils or red, loamy soils. You can find many of these trees west of Fitzroy Crossing and south of the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges.

See also

• List of Corymbia species