Jounama snow gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jounama snow gum |
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| Subspecies debeuzevillei on the summit of Mount Gingera | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
E. p. subsp. debeuzevillei
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| Trinomial name | |
| Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. debeuzevillei (Maiden) L.A.S.Johnson & Blaxell
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The Jounama snow gum, also known as Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. debeuzevillei, is a special type of gum tree. It's usually a small tree or a mallee, which means it has many stems growing from the ground. You can find this unique plant on a few mountain peaks in south-eastern Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, bright green leaves shaped like spears or eggs, and white flowers that grow in groups. What makes it stand out from other snow gums are its flower buds, which have a cool angular shape.
Contents
What Does the Jounama Snow Gum Look Like?
The Jounama snow gum is usually a mallee or a small tree. It can grow up to 12 m (39 ft) tall. This tree has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps it regrow after fires. Its small branches are often glaucous, meaning they have a dull, bluish-green or grayish-white coating.
The bark of the Jounama snow gum is smooth. It can be grey, white, cream-coloured, or light brown. You might even see interesting insect scribbles on it!
Leaves
Young plants and new shoots (called coppice regrowth) have dull bluish-green leaves. These leaves are egg-shaped to broadly spear-shaped. They are about 60–90 mm (2.4–3.5 in) long and 30–55 mm (1.2–2.2 in) wide. They also have a petiole, which is like a small stalk connecting the leaf to the stem.
As the tree gets older, its leaves change. Adult leaves are broadly spear-shaped or curved. They are longer, about 75–180 mm (3.0–7.1 in) long and 16–50 mm (0.63–1.97 in) wide. Their petioles are about 12–25 mm (0.47–0.98 in) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds of the Jounama snow gum grow in groups of nine to fifteen. They are found in the axils of the leaves, which is the angle between a leaf and the stem. These groups of buds grow on a single stalk called a peduncle, which is about 4–13 mm (0.16–0.51 in) long. Each individual bud sits on a tiny stalk called a pedicel, up to 2 mm (0.079 in) long.
When the buds are ready to open, they are club-shaped to oblong. They are about 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. Each bud has a conical operculum, which is like a cap that covers the flower parts.
The Jounama snow gum has white flowers. They have been seen blooming in December and January. After flowering, the tree produces fruit. The fruit is a woody capsule that can be cup-shaped, barrel-shaped, or conical. It's about 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in) long and 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) wide. Inside, there are valves (parts that open to release seeds) that are usually near the rim or a bit below it.
A special feature of the Jounama snow gum is its mature buds. They are very angular, which helps tell them apart from other types of snow gums.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Jounama snow gum was first officially described in 1920. A scientist named Joseph Maiden wrote about it in a scientific journal. He used plant samples collected by Wilfred Alexander de Beuzeville.
Later, in 1973, two other scientists, Lawrie Johnson and Donald Blaxell, decided that this plant was actually a subspecies of the well-known E. pauciflora. So, they changed its name to E. pauciflora subsp. debeuzevillei.
The second part of its scientific name, debeuzevillei, was given to honor Wilfred Alexander de Beuzeville. He was the person who collected the original plant sample, known as the type specimen, that helped scientists identify this unique tree.
Where Does It Grow?
This special subspecies of snow gum grows on some of the highest mountain peaks in south-eastern Australia. You can find it in the Australian Capital Territory, south from Mount Franklin. It also grows near Yarrangobilly in New South Wales and on Mount Buffalo in Victoria.
