Jinjulu facts for kids
Eucalyptus glomerosa, commonly known as jinjulu, is a special type of mallee plant. It only grows naturally in certain parts of inland Australia. This plant has rough, flaky bark near its base. Higher up, its bark is smooth. Jinjulu has leaves shaped like eggs or spears. Its flower buds usually grow in groups of seven. When it blooms, it has cream-coloured flowers. The fruit looks like a cone or half-sphere. You can mostly find jinjulu in the Great Victoria Desert in South Australia. It also grows in eastern areas of Western Australia.
Quick facts for kids Jinjulu |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
glomerosa
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What Jinjulu Looks Like
Jinjulu is a mallee plant. This means it's a type of eucalyptus that usually grows as a shrub or small tree. It often has many stems coming from the ground. It typically reaches about 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after fires.
Near the bottom of the trunk, the bark is rough and flaky. Higher up and on the branches, the bark is smooth and often looks coppery. Young plants have leaves that are oval or spear-shaped. These leaves are about 25 to 70 millimeters (1 to 2.8 inches) long. They are also about 10 to 33 millimeters (0.4 to 1.3 inches) wide.
Adult leaves are a dull bluish to light green colour on both sides. They are shaped like spears or ovals. These leaves are about 38 to 95 millimeters (1.5 to 3.7 inches) long. They are 8 to 23 millimeters (0.3 to 0.9 inches) wide. Each leaf has a stem called a petiole, which is 8 to 25 millimeters (0.3 to 1 inch) long.
The flower buds grow in groups of seven. Sometimes there are nine or eleven buds. They are found where the leaves meet the stem, called the axil. These groups of buds are on a stem called a peduncle, which is 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long. Each individual bud has a small stem called a pedicel, 4 to 9 millimeters (0.16 to 0.35 inches) long.
Mature buds are mostly round. They are about 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.28 inches) long and wide. They have a rounded cap, called an operculum, with a small point on top. Jinjulu flowers at different times. Its flowering depends on when it rains. The flowers are cream-coloured.
How Jinjulu Got Its Name
The plant Eucalyptus glomerosa was first officially described in 1993. This was done by two scientists, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper. They found a sample of the plant in 1984. It was found north-east of Cosmo Newbery (Yilka).
The second part of its scientific name, glomerosa, comes from a Latin word. The Latin word glomus means "a ball of yarn". The ending -osus means "abounding in" or "full of". So, glomerosa refers to its round, ball-like buds.
Where Jinjulu Lives
Jinjulu grows in sandy areas and on sand dunes. It often grows alongside other eucalyptus trees. These include E. eremicola, E. gongylocarpa, E. gypsophila, and E. mannensis.
You can mostly find jinjulu in the Great Victoria Desert. It also grows within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the Northern Territory border. It is found in the central eastern parts of Western Australia. Its home includes the Central Ranges, Great Victoria Desert, and Murchison areas. These are all part of Australia's biogeographic regions.
Is Jinjulu in Danger?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at jinjulu. They have classified this mallee as "not threatened". This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
