Gastrolobium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gastrolobium
Gastrolobium celsianum (Swan River Pea)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
(unranked):	Mirbelioids
Genus:	Gastrolobium R.Br. 1811
Type species
Gastrolobium bilobum R.Br.
Groups and Species
See text.
Synonyms
Brachysema R. Br. ex W.T.Aiton 1811 Burgesia F. Muell. Cupulanthus Hutch. 1964 Jansonia Kippist ex Lindl. 1847 Nemcia Domin 1923

Gastrolobium is a group of flowering plants that belong to the pea family. There are over 100 different kinds of Gastrolobium plants. Almost all of them grow naturally in the southwest part of Western Australia.

Many of these plants contain a natural chemical called monofluoroacetate. This chemical is the main ingredient in a poison known as "1080." Because of this, Gastrolobium plants caused problems for farm animals brought to Western Australia starting in the 1840s.

Scientists worked to figure out what was making the animals sick. A botanist named James Drummond did many tests. He found that plants like York Road poison (G. calycinum) and Champion Bay poison (G. oxylobioides) were the main cause.

Later, in the 1930s and 1940s, other botanists like C.A. Gardner and H.W. Bennetts found even more poisonous Gastrolobium species. Their discoveries led to a book called The Toxic Plants of Western Australia in 1956.

Each Gastrolobium plant cell has 16 chromosomes.

Types of Gastrolobium Plants

The Gastrolobium genus includes many different species. Scientists group them based on their features. Here are some of the main groups and a few examples from each:

The Gastrolobium bilobum Group

This group includes species like Gastrolobium bilobum, also known as Heart-leaved poison. Other plants in this group are Gastrolobium callistachys (Rock poison) and Gastrolobium grandiflorum (Wallflower poison).

Gastrolobium parviflorum Subgroup

A smaller group within the Gastrolobium bilobum group is the Gastrolobium parviflorum subgroup. An example is Gastrolobium parviflorum, known as Box poison.

The Gastrolobium calycinum Group

This group contains plants like Gastrolobium calycinum, often called York Road poison. Other species include Gastrolobium oxylobioides (Champion Bay poison) and Gastrolobium rigidum (Rigid leaf poison).

The Gastrolobium celsianum Group

A well-known plant in this group is Gastrolobium celsianum, or Swan River pea. This group also has species like Gastrolobium formosum and Gastrolobium leakeanum (Mountain pea).

The Gastrolobium cruciatum Group

This group includes Gastrolobium cruciatum and Gastrolobium reticulatum.

The Gastrolobium floribundum Group

Plants in this group include Gastrolobium crassifolium (Thick-leaved poison) and Gastrolobium floribundum (Wodjil poison). You might also find Gastrolobium parvifolium (Berry poison) here.

The Gastrolobium heterophyllum Group

This group features Gastrolobium heterophyllum (Slender poison) and Gastrolobium nutans.

The Gastrolobium ilicifolium Group

Examples from this group are Gastrolobium ilicifolium and Gastrolobium tricuspidatum.

The Gastrolobium obovatum Group

This group includes Gastrolobium bennettsianum (Cluster poison) and Gastrolobium latifolium.

The Gastrolobium pyramidale Group

This group contains Gastrolobium coriaceum and Gastrolobium pyramidale.

The Gastrolobium retusum Group

Some plants in this group are Gastrolobium acutum and Gastrolobium retusum.

The Gastrolobium spinosum Group

A notable plant here is Gastrolobium spinosum, known as Prickly poison. This species has several varieties, like spinosum and trilobum.

The Gastrolobium villosum Group

This group includes Gastrolobium densifolium (Mallet poison) and Gastrolobium villosum (Crinkle-leaved poison).

See also

In Spanish: Gastrolobium para niños