Biology:Ventilago viminalis
| Supplejack | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus: | Ventilago |
| Species: | V. viminalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ventilago viminalis | |
Ventilago viminalis, commonly known as supplejack, vine tree or whip vine,[3] is a tree native to Northern and Central Australia from coastal regions of Queensland to the Northern Territory and Western Australia (with occurrences in New South Wales and South Australia).[4]
Description
The plant begins life as a scrambler, using other trees, shrubs and even grasses for support. As it ages the stem becomes increasingly woody and the plant eventually develops a growth form more typical of a tree.[5][6] The tree can reach 7 metres in height and often has several trunks with pendulous branch extremities.[3] The bark is dark and fissured.[3] The leaves have petioles and are green and lanceolate.[3] The flowers are small and greenish yellow.[3] Flowering season varies depending on rainfall.[citation needed] The fruits are indehiscent and have a single prominent longitudinal wing.[3]
Taxonomy
It was first described by William Jackson Hooker in 1848.[1][2] The species epithet, viminalis, is a Latin adjective describing the plant as having long flexible shoots suitable for basket work.[7] It is a member of the Rhamnaceae family.[1]
Australian aboriginal uses and names
Australian Aborigines eat the gum from this tree. They scrape it off as it comes through, twisting it onto a stick. It can be chewed like chewing gum. The supplejack in Arrernte is called Atnyerampwe, and the gum is Ngwarle atnyerampwe.[citation needed] In the Kimberley Ventilago viminalis is commonly called the 'medicine tree'. Local people cut chunks out of the bark or roots to boil up and make an infusion to treat a variety of skin ailments as well as bruises and rheumatism. Trees with large telltale oval or oblong scars in the bark are often found in the local bush.[8]
The Walmajarri people of Paruku Indigenous Protected Area call this tree Walakarri,[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Ventilago viminalis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/name/apni/84827.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 , pp. 369, https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:8609641$417i, Wikidata Q5946713
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Ventilago viminalis". Northern Territory Government, Darwin.. http://eflora.nt.gov.au/factsheet?id=20341.
- ↑ Kevin Thiele (2016). "Ventilago viminalis". Flora of Australia. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Ventilago%20viminalis. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- ↑ Anderson, Eric (1993). Plants of central Queensland : their identification and uses. Brisbane, Qld.: Dept. of Primary Industries. pp. 118. ISBN 0-7242-3990-1. OCLC 31064192. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/31064192.
- ↑ "Ventilago viminalis". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. 2020. https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/Ventilago_viminalis.htm.
- ↑ "viminalis,-is,-e". http://www.plantillustrations.org/epithet.php?id_epithet=200002.
- ↑ Kenneally, Kevin F.; Choules Edinger, Daphne; Willing, Tim (1996). Broome and beyond : plants and people of the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley, Western Australia. Como, W.A.: Dept. of Conservation and Land Management. pp. 171–172. ISBN 0-7309-6972-X. OCLC 36270417. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36270417.
- ↑ , pp. 76, Wikidata Q106088428
Wikidata ☰ Q7920245 entry
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