Snappy white gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snappy white gum |
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| Eucalyptus brevifolia near Tunnel Creek National Park | |
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Eucalyptus
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| Species: |
brevifolia
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The Eucalyptus brevifolia, often called the snappy white gum or northern white gum, is a special tree found only in northern Australia. It's easy to spot because it has smooth, powdery white bark. This tree also has unique lance-shaped leaves, flower buds that grow in groups of seven, white flowers, and fruits shaped like cups or barrels.
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What the Snappy White Gum Looks Like
The snappy white gum tree usually grows up to about 10 meters (33 feet) tall. It has a special woody lump at its base called a lignotuber. This lignotuber helps the tree regrow if the top part is damaged, for example, by a bushfire.
Its bark is very smooth, white, and looks like it's covered in powder. Young snappy white gum plants, or new shoots growing from the base (called coppice regrowth), have stems with four sides. Their leaves are oval or triangle-shaped, about 4 to 7 centimeters (1.6 to 2.8 inches) long and 3 to 7 centimeters (1.2 to 2.8 inches) wide.
Older leaves are mostly shaped like a spear (lance-shaped). They are a dull blue-grey on both sides. These leaves are about 5 to 11 centimeters (2 to 4.3 inches) long and 15 to 28 centimeters (5.9 to 11 inches) wide. They grow on a small stalk called a petiole, which is about 15 to 25 millimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flower buds of the snappy white gum grow in groups of seven. They appear where the leaves meet the stem (this spot is called a leaf axil). These groups of buds are on a small stem called a peduncle, which is about 3 to 9 millimeters (0.1 to 0.4 inches) long. Each individual bud might sit directly on the peduncle (this is called sessile) or have a very short stalk (a pedicel) up to 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) long.
When the buds are ready, they are oval to pear-shaped. They are about 6 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 4 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is called an operculum. It's usually rounded and narrower than the base of the flower (the floral cup) where they join.
Snappy white gum trees usually flower between March and August. Their flowers are white or a creamy yellow color. After flowering, the tree produces woody fruits. These fruits are shaped like a cup or a barrel, or sometimes like half a sphere. They are about 4 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 6 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The parts that open to release seeds (called valves) are usually level with the rim of the fruit or stick out a little bit.
How it Got its Name
The snappy white gum was first officially described in 1859 by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He published his description in a science journal called Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany.
The scientific name brevifolia comes from two Latin words: brevis, which means "short," and folium, which means "leaf." This name refers to the tree's leaves, which are relatively short compared to some other eucalyptus species.
Where the Snappy White Gum Lives
The snappy white gum grows on slopes and rocky hilltops. You can find it in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It also grows in nearby parts of the Northern Territory, specifically between the Victoria River and the northern part of the Tanami Desert. In these areas, it often grows in shallow, rocky soils that don't have much depth.
