Terminalia ferdinandiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Terminalia ferdinandiana |
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Terminalia
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ferdinandiana
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The Kakadu plum, also known as gubinge or billygoat plum, is a special flowering plant. Its scientific name is Terminalia ferdinandiana. This plant belongs to the Combretaceae family. It grows naturally in Australia, especially across the tropical woodlands from the northwest to eastern Arnhem Land. The fruit of the Kakadu plum is famous for having a super high amount of vitamin C. It has much more vitamin C than oranges, making it one of the best natural sources known!
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What is the Kakadu Plum?
The Kakadu plum is a slender tree that can grow up to 14 meters (about 46 feet) tall. It has bark that looks creamy-grey and peels off. Its pale green leaves fall off during certain seasons.
Flowers and Fruit
The tree's flowers are small and creamy-white. They smell nice and grow on spikes near the ends of the branches. These flowers usually appear from September to December, which is spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
The fruit is yellow-green and shaped like an almond. It's about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) long and 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) wide. Each fruit has a small beak at its tip and contains one large seed. The fruits start to ripen from March onwards.
How it Got its Name
The name "ferdinandiana" was given by a botanist named A.W. Exell. He named it after Ferdinand von Mueller, who was the first European botanist to study and describe the Kakadu plum.
Where Does the Kakadu Plum Grow?
You can find the Kakadu plum tree along the coast in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, stretching east into the Northern Territory. It grows in many different places, like sandy plains, floodplains, and near creeks. It can also be found on ridges, in thick groups of vines, and at the edges of mangrove areas.
This tree likes sandy, peaty, or clay soils, often near sandstone or ironstone. In the Northern Territory, it's mostly found in the western part of the Top End, from the Western Australian border to Arnhem Land. It often grows among Eucalypt trees.
How People Use the Kakadu Plum
The fruit of the Kakadu plum is very important to Aboriginal people. They use it as bush tucker (food from the bush) and in traditional medicine. The round, light green fruits are usually eaten raw. They can also be made into a jam.
The taste of Kakadu plums is often described as a bit plain, but with a strong sour and astringent (a taste that makes your mouth feel dry) finish.
Names in Aboriginal Languages
The Kakadu plum has many names in different Aboriginal languages:
- In Kundjeyhmi, spoken in Kakadu National Park, it's called anmarlak.
- In the related Kunwinjku language, it's manmorlak, or mandjiribidj in the Kuninjku dialect.
- In Yolŋu, it's called ŋäṉ'ka-bakarra.
- The English names gubinge and murunga come from the Bardi language and eastern Arnhem languages.
