Jingymia gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jingymia gum |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
pruiniramis
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The Jingymia gum (scientific name: Eucalyptus pruiniramis) is a special type of mallee or small tree. It grows only in a tiny part of Western Australia. This unique plant usually has rough bark near the bottom of its trunk. Higher up, its bark is smooth. Its leaves are dull green and shaped like a spear. The flowers are white and grow in groups. After flowering, it produces woody, cup-shaped fruits.
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What Does the Jingymia Gum Look Like?
The Jingymia gum is usually a mallee. This means it's a shrubby plant with many stems growing from a large, woody base called a lignotuber. Sometimes, it can be a small, straggly tree. It typically grows to be about 2.5 to 7 meters (8 to 23 feet) tall.
Bark and Stems
The bark on the lower part of the trunk is often rough and fibrous. Higher up, the bark is smooth and can be greyish or blackish. Young plants have stems that are square-shaped.
Leaves
When the plant is young, its leaves are greyish-green. They are broadly egg-shaped or round, about 45 to 105 millimeters (1.8 to 4.1 inches) long. They are also 40 to 65 millimeters (1.6 to 2.6 inches) wide.
Adult leaves are the same dull green color on both sides. They are shaped like a spear (lance-shaped). These leaves are about 85 to 125 millimeters (3.3 to 4.9 inches) long. They are 15 to 33 millimeters (0.6 to 1.3 inches) wide. Each leaf tapers down to a stalk called a petiole, which is 15 to 30 millimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds grow in groups of seven, nine, or eleven. They appear in the axils of the leaves. An axil is the angle between a leaf stalk and the stem. These groups of buds are on a flat, unbranched stalk called a peduncle, which is 8 to 20 millimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) long. Each individual bud has a short stalk called a pedicel, about 2 to 5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.2 inches) long.
Mature buds are broadly spindle-shaped or oval. They are 11 to 16 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long and 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. Each bud has a cone-shaped cap called an operculum. The Jingymia gum flowers in summer, and its flowers are white.
After flowering, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are like capsules and are cylindrical to cup-shaped. They are about 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are near the rim of the fruit.
How the Jingymia Gum Got Its Name
The scientific name for Jingymia gum is Eucalyptus pruiniramis. It was first officially described in 1992. Two botanists, Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill, wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.
Meaning of the Name
The second part of its scientific name, pruiniramis, comes from Latin words. "Pruina" means "rime" or "hoar-frost." "Ramis" means "of a branch." This name refers to a white, waxy coating that can be found on the branches of the plant.
Where Does the Jingymia Gum Live?
The Jingymia mallee grows in a specific type of environment. It prefers low mallee woodland areas. You can find it on rocky hillsides. Its habitat is located between Mogumber and Arrino in Western Australia.
Population Size
This plant is quite rare. Scientists only know of nine different groups (populations) of Jingymia gum. In total, there are about 58 plants. Only one of these groups is protected within a nature reserve.
Protecting the Jingymia Gum
The Jingymia gum is considered an "endangered" species. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. The Australian Government lists it as "endangered" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Department of Environment and Conservation in Western Australia also lists it as "Threatened Flora."
Main Threats to the Plant
Several things threaten the survival of the Jingymia gum:
- Road and fence maintenance: Work done on roads and fences can accidentally harm the plants.
- Gravel extraction: Digging up gravel from the ground can destroy their habitat.
- Grazing: Animals eating the plants can prevent them from growing and reproducing.
- Weed infestation: Invasive weeds can grow and outcompete the native Jingymia gum for resources like water and sunlight.
